DUBAI: The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with AbbVie Biopharmaceuticals to enhance innovation, training, healthcare and awareness about autoimmune diseases.

Under this MoU, both sides have agreed to foster cooperation in the field of therapeutic innovations for autoimmune diseases, provide training programmes for MoHAP’s medical cadres as per the latest scientific developments and provide medications for patients with rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis so as to enable them to continue treatment according to their treatment plan.

The agreement was signed at the MoHAP premises by Dr Youssif Al Serkal, Assistant Undersecretary for the Ministry’s Hospitals Sector and Muhammad Abu Bakr Abdul-Jawad, General Manager, Gulf Cluster, AbbVie Biopharmaceuticals, in the presence of Dr Mohammad Salim Al Olama, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health and Prevention.

Dr Al Serkal said: “The MoU reflects MoHAP’s keenness to expand its strategic partnership network with global companies, as part of its endeavours to provide autoimmune disease patients with new medicines, elevate the capabilities of health professionals, enhance healthcare awareness and provide the best therapeutic services. This comes as part of MoHAP’s strategy to provide an integrated healthcare service in accordance with the highest standards of excellence and professionalism and achieve leadership in the health field in line with the National Agenda 2021.”

“This agreement would help provide training programmes for MoHAP’s doctors, pharmacists and nursing staff in the treatment of autoimmune diseases by dispatching them to MoHAP non-affiliated hospitals to receive clinical training. The MoU is focusing also on organising educational workshops and lectures on autoimmune diseases and ways to prevent them,” Al Serkal concluded.

Abu Bakr Abdul-Jawad said: “AbbVie is very keen to develop its partnership with MoHAP to provide effective treatment for patients with autoimmune diseases, as part of the company’s efforts to improve patients’ lives. The agreement states that AbbVie will provide its pharmaceutical innovations in the field of treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis.”