Healthcare & Medicine
Oman: Higher health standards
"Increased levels of public-private cooperation are likely to bring high-tech solutions and better practices to Oman’s health care sector, particularly with regard to increasing ethical standards and monitoring insurance providers. Oman’s health care system has undergone an impressive transformation over the past four decades. The first real development planning began in 1976, with a series of three, five-year plans that laid the foundations for the country’s modern health care infrastructure. Later plans created better systems for planning, decentralization and specialization in the field. Basic indicators show that these strategies have worked: between 1980 and 2009, average life expectancy increased from 57.5 years to 72.7 years and infant mortality decreased by 85%, according to statistics from the Ministry of Health (MoH). Such advancements were largely due to expanded immunization and specialized health programs targeting illnesses such as tuberculosis, malaria and childhood respiratory diseases. In spite of this progress, however, members of both public and private institutions see room for growth, particularly in the areas of technology usage and government regulation. Source: Oxford Business Group
"Bahrain to build culture center for elderly
"A cultural center for the elderly that showcases traditional handicrafts and other professions as well as offers recreation facilities and entertainment is being planned in a major public park in Bahrain. Plans for a special café for pensioners were originally incorporated in revamps to the Casino Public Park, but were scrapped by the Municipalities and Urban Planning Affairs Ministry. It said earlier that the decision was due to fears that the place would be turned into a facility that was exclusively for the elderly rather than serve families in general. The garden the Grand Muharraq Garden was at one time set to be turned into a 'miniature Disneyland', but the plans were later shelved. New designs are currently in the final stages and they will be submitted to the Muharraq Municipal Council for review. Plans to pump BD19 million ($50.4 million) into the Grand Muharraq Garden were scrapped in April last year after the investor missed three deadlines to start work. However, the council is now planning to use his BD180,000 deposit to equip the garden with family rest areas, playground equipment and a walkway. The cultural center, which will be run by the Bahrain Home for Parents Care, will be funded by Diyar Al Muharraq that originally proposed having the cafe in the park. Source: TradeArabia News Service
"Work on second phase of Al Jalila Hospital starts
"The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has announced the start of the construction work on the second phase of the Al Jalila Children’s Speciality Hospital. The construction is part of an ambitious initiative that was unveiled by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and the Ruler of Dubai, to promote comprehensive pediatric healthcare. DHA, UAE’s dedicated organization mandated to set policies and strategies for enhancing the healthcare sector, signed an agreement with Al Futtaim Carillion for undertaking the second phase of construction of the hospital, which is expected to be completed in 26 months. With a developmental value of Dh673 million ($183 million), Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital is envisaged to offer the full spectrum of healthcare for children – from newborns to 16-year-olds – and will have several centers of excellence dedicated to cancer care, cardiology, neurology and mental health, among other specialties. The hospital will feature high-end medical equipment and will be led by a team of highly qualified and experienced professionals. The first-of-its-kind facility in the region offering super-specialty and multi-spectrum pediatric care, Al Jalila Children’s Speciality Hospital is set on dedicated premises within the Al Wasl Hospital campus. Source: TradeArabia News Service
"Abraaj eyes Turkish hospital stake sale
"Abraaj Capital, the Middle East's largest private equity firm, expects to complete the sale of its stake in Turkish hospital group Acibadem by the end of 2011, its chief executive said. Abraaj, which manages assets of around $6 billion, has a 46% stake in a joint venture company Almond Holding, which controls 92% of Acibadem. Bank of America-Merrill Lynch and Goldman Sachs have been advising Abraaj on the sale. Malaysian state fund Khazanah Nasional is in talks to buy a stake in Acibadem, in a deal worth at least $500 million, two sources with direct knowledge of the deal told Reuters. 'We received a couple of strategic approaches and also considered other strategic offers for the Turkish asset,' Mustafa Abdel-Wadood, CEO of Abraaj Capital said, speaking at the Reuters Middle East Investment Summit. When asked if Abraaj would complete the Turkey deal by the end of the year, Abdel-Wadood said 'that is the intention we're working towards'. The private equity firm is also looking to partially exit another investment by the end of the year and is evaluating initial public offerings for two others in 2012, the executive said without providing additional details. Source: Reuters
"$10.6m health center set to open in Bahrain
"A state-of-the-art BD4 million ($10.6 million) health center, which includes 17 wards, is set to open in late October in the Hidd area of Bahrain. HRH Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, toured the two-storey Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK) Health Centre on October 11th. He was briefed by Human Rights and Social Development and Acting Health Minister Dr. Fatima Al Balooshi on the center, which will serve 18,000 people. HRH the Premier stressed the importance of the partnership between the public and private sectors to ensure sustained development and promote growth momentum. He described the health sector as a promising field, which encourages the private sector, seeing its humanitarian and social dimensions. He reaffirmed the government's resolve to continue efforts to enhance the standards of medical services. He urged the private sector to invest in social-oriented projects and bolster its crucial role in engineering economic development and spurring growth. He also directed all government departments to provide necessary facilities for development projects led by the private sector and remove obstacles. Source: Reuters
"