Dubai: Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to assist in physical disabilities particularly visual handicaps, a deeper study of genetics and genomics to cater to precision medicine for heart disease and cancer and the use of robotic technology for surgeries are some of the topics that will be discussed at the second edition of the Dubai Health Forum 2018, said a senior Dubai Health Authority (DHA) official.
Humaid Mohammad Obaid Al Qutami, chairman of the board and director-general of DHA, announced that the forum would be held on January 15-16 featuring over 33 international speakers from 22 countries. Over a 1,000 delegates will showcase smart technology and innovation in health care, Al Qutami informed.
The forum is in alignment with the goals of the Dubai Health Strategy 2021 and will showcase new technology and innovations in health care delivery.”
Dr Manal Taryam, head of DHA’s Primary Health Centres, said: “The accent will be on genomics, AI and its use in diagnostics and radiology; the extensive use of 3D printing already prevalent in health care; the use of robotics in sophisticated heart, eye and other organ surgeries; and the implementation of Block Chain in health care delivery; and the use of smart technology and sensors in geriatric care. The forum will discuss the use of precision medicine in cardiac disease and cancer specially where new targeted therapies now focus on the patient rather than on the disease. We now talk of treating the patient and not just addressing the disease.”
Dr Taryam talked about an emerging area of health care — life-style medicine, which is a four-year US board-certified course that is being used to tackle non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension, cancer and even mental health in a holistic way.
“What lifestyle medicine does is identify high-risk groups that are susceptible to lifestyle diseases and use a variety of methods such as involve family counselling, mental health, environmental counselling and general lifestyle training and education to handle the condition. This is a new approach and once approved, will be adopted in the UAE.”
The two-day forum will be attended by health care experts from the GCC and the UAE, students and federal representatives, apart from international health care experts from the West.
