Yesterday evening, Eng. Eissa Al Maidoor, General Director, Dubai Health Authority, witnessed the Graduation Ceremony of the 38 graduates of the Diploma in Regional Anesthesia and Analgesia at Mohamed Bin Rashid Academic Medical Center, Dubai Healthcare City. The Diploma is organized by Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences (HMA) in collaboration with the University of Montpellier 1, France, and supported by Dubai Healthcare Authority.

 

During the Ceremony, Prof. Philippe Auge, the President of Montpellier 1 University, distributed the graduation certificates to the graduates of the Diploma, in the attendance of H.E. Eric Giraud Telme, Consul General of France in Dubai, the faculty members of the Diploma, Prof. Najib Al Khaja, Secretary General, HMA, and Abdullah Bin Souqat, the Executive Director of the Award.

 

After listening to the holy Quran, Prof. Najib Al Khaja delivered a speech through which he conveyed the greetings of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, UAE Minister of Finance and the Patron of the Award, to all the attendants and his congratulations to the graduates. Also, he conveyed the greetings and congratulations of the Chairman and members of the Board of Trustees of the Award to the graduates of the second round of the Regional Anesthesia and Analgesia Diploma organized by the Sheikh Hamdan Award for Medical Sciences in cooperation with Montpellier 1 University.

 

"The obvious objectives set by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, UAE Minister of Finance and President of the Dubai Health Authority; have been the main driver of all the diverse activities of the Award, since its establishment in 1999, for supporting and upgrading the medical sector inside and outside the State", Al Khaja said.

 

"The cooperation between Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences and Montpellier University is one of the most important agreements that commenced in 2011 by way of organizing workshops for the doctors and staff of anesthesia. Such workshops were organized very successfully by Montpellier University. In the beginning of 2011, the University decided to launch a Diploma in Regional Anesthesia and Analgesia, the completion of which would award the trainees with a certificate accredited from the Faculty of Medicine, the University of Montpellier, and ratified by the Ministry of Higher Education in France.  In January 2012, the first batch of students of this diploma graduated; a batch that included 31 doctors from the United Arab Emirates, Sultanate of Oman, Qatar, Iran and Kenya", he added.

 

"Today we celebrate the graduation of the second batch which contains 38 anesthesiologists from the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Switzerland, Cyprus and Philippines", he said.

 

"I take this opportunity to thank Dr. Philippe Auge, the University President, and Dr. Xavier Capdevila, Head of the Academic Program of the Diploma, Dr. Philip Macair and Dr. Mansour Naziri, Rashid Hospital and all those who have worked sincerely for the success of such academic program", he said.

 

"I extend my thanks to His Excellency Eng. Essa AlMaidoor, Director-Generalof Dubai Health Authority, and the management of Rashid Hospital which has played the biggest and most important role in the success of the this diploma, in particular, and the other activities, in general", he added.

 

"At last, I’m pleased to congratulate all graduates, wishing for them to be successful in their practical life and apply all that they have learned so as to serve their patients efficiently. I encourage everybody joining the third batch to work hard and derive the maximum benefit from this program. I extend my thanks to all staff of the General Secretariat of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences", he added

 

Then, Prof. Philippe Auge, the president of Montpellier 1 University, delivered a speech. He talked about the Medical education in Montpellier1 which was born in the practice of medicine by itself, without any institutional framework in the early twelfth century.

 

"Lord Guilhem VIII of Montpellier in 1181 granted the right to practice and teach medicine. It brings together the School of Medicine founded in 1220 by Cardinal Conrad, Legate of Pope Honorius III, which makes the Faculty of Medicine of Montpellier's oldest school of Medicine in the world", he said.

 

"The University of Montpellier is a direct descendant from the medieval University created in October 26 1289 by the papal bull "Quia Sapientia" of Pope Nicolas IV granting the right to education and practice to all teachers and students in Montpellier, officially creating the University of Montpellier grouping Law, Medicine, Literature and Theology", he added. 

"Among the famous graduated scholars of medicine at Montpellier we can mention: Francois Rabelais, Paul Joseph Barthez, Francois Lapeyronie, Pierre-Joseph Amoreux, Pierre Borel, Pierre Magnol, Gui de Chauliac, Guillaume Rondelet, Jean Astruc, Theophraste Renaudot and others", he said.

 

"Nowadays, the Medical University of Montpellier is a part of Montpellier 1 University. A high university position is recognized to the international cooperation it creates and maintains in a spirit of continuous innovation, professionalism and loyalty to those of us who defend the values ??of teaching doctors and optimal healthcare to our patients", he said.

 

"To this end, cooperation between Montpellier 1 University and HH Sheikh Hamdan Award for Medical Sciences is an example. The inter-university diploma of Regional Anesthesia and Analgesia was created in 2OOO within the Research and Teaching Faculty of Medicine Montpellier-Nimes in coordination with those of Marseille and Nice. Due to an immediate success in this topic, the Faculties of Toulouse, Lyon, and the University of Medicine of Tunis have followed those lessons by videoconference before a few years later empowered by the learned they established their own diploma", he said. 

 

"Since 2010, 68 anesthesiologists from UAE, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain Saudi Arabia, Kenya, Cyprus, Iran and Philippines enrolled. The lectures and the workshops have been recognized by physicians registered as complete, very serious, modern, original and with a French Touch. The courses are delivered in English by local teachers, but also by video conferences and seminars in Dubai to be in contact with teachers from Montpellier 1. Internships are provided to Rashid Hospital in Dubai and Montpellier University Hospital, in the Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care of Prof. Xavier Capdevila. The promotion includes 38 graduates this year. Scores and ranks during the exam are proof of the high quality of the trained candidates", he said.

 

"Cooperation projects between Montpellier 1 and the United Arab Emirates and Dubai are rich. The diploma of Regional Anesthesia and Analgesia will pursed, the demand is very important. Progressively, local teachers will give a more significant part of that diploma. It is mandatory for the symbiosis between teachers and attendees", he added.

 

"This cooperation will be expanded through the creation of further diplomas in Dubai: Pediatric Anesthesia, Ultrasound Techniques in Anesthesia and Intensice Care Medicine, Intensive Care and Perioperative Medicine and the last one will be Pain Medicine. These specialties, internationally recognized as strengths in the medical expertise of Montpellier will reinforce between us. They will help to pave the way for other strong disciplines of our university", he said.

 

"The success of this cooperation is undoubtedly related to labor, energy and mutual respect between the signatory organizations and staff working on the ground to ensure success", he said.

Then, H.E. Eric Giraud Telme, Consul General of France, Dubai, delivered a speech in which he expressed his happiness to attend the graduation ceremony of the Diploma. He thanked HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum for supporting such scientific program which is considered the harvest of the collaboration between France and UAE.

 

"The graduates of the Diploma are a bridge between UAE and France. Now, they have the key of success as the holders of one of the most important scientific certificates accredited from one of the most important universities in France", he added.

 

He also talked about the initiatives by the Award through organizing a number of important medical programs, including the Diploma in Regional Anesthesia and Analgesia.

"During the coming phase, the Diploma will be developed within the framework of holding many projects in collaboration between UAE and France", he added.

 

Dr. Mansour Youssuf  Nadheri, the Co-Director of the Diploma and Consultant Anesthetist at Trauma Center, Dubai Rashid Hospital delivered a speech on behalf of the Scientific Committee of The Diploma in which he welcomed the attendees and the graduates who exerted big efforts during the Diploma with a great will to develop their professional skills.

 

"The scientific program of the Diploma has been prepared under the direct supervision of the University of Montpellier 1, France. The diploma is composed of 3 modules; Theorical part with 64 lectures, 30 % by a local faculty, 30 % by visiting professors and 40% by video conferences, 2 days of workshops on models, and phantoms Clinical part with 10 days of clinical attachment in accredited hospitals", he added.

 

Then, Eng. Eissa Al Maidoor and Prof. Najib Al Khaja went up to the stage to honor those who supported the Diploma including Prof. Philippe Auge, President, Montpellier University, H.E. Eric Giraud Telme, Consul General of France in Dubai, Dr. Khalil Qaed, the manager of the continuing medical education department, Dubai health Authority, on behalf of Dr. Shawky Khowry, CEO, Rashid Hospital, Dr. Fauzan Al Khalidi, Director of Business Development, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Rashid Academic Medical Centre and Air France Airlines.

 

Then, the graduates were delivered their graduation certificates and Mr. Abdullah Bin Souqat went up to the stage to participate in honoring the medalists including Dr. Dinesh Malhotra, Dr. Hala Talib and Dr. Mohamed Badr, as the first place medalist. Dr. Badr received a free plane ticket to Montpellier from Air France Airline.

 

After the Ceremony, the guests paid a visit to Khalaf Al Habtoor Medical Simulating Center in Sheikh Mohamed Bin Rashid Academic Medical Center. They toured the center which is well equipped with the latest technologies used in the modern medical education all over the world.

 

It is worthy to mention that the Ceremony is held in conjunction with the launch of the lectures of the 3rd batch of the Diploma at Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Academic Medical Center, with the participation of 36 doctors from UAE, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Lebanon, Iraq and Iran