Dubai: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, issued directives to establish the ‘Sheikha Latifa bint Hamdan Unit for Cardiac Catheterisation Surgery’ at the Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Center in Cairo, Egypt. The facility will offer free cardiac treatment and catheterisation surgeries to children and economically disadvantaged patients from the Arab world, in addition to providing specialised medical training to doctors and surgeons in the field.
The Unit will be equipped to provide advanced 24/7 treatment services. Equipped with the latest medical technologies including robotic surgical facilities, operation theatres in the Unit will have the capacity to perform 9,000 catheterisation procedures annually.
Expected to be completed in early 2024, the ‘Sheikha Latifa bint Hamdan Unit for Cardiac Catheterisation Surgery’ is set to train 1,500 surgeons and doctors annually to meet the growing demand for cardiac treatment. Cardiovascular disease is the main cause of death in the Arab World, according to the World Health Organisation.
Bridging the gap
As part of the largest charity cardiovascular hospital in the Arab world, the Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Center in Cairo, Egypt, the Unit will be well placed to serve patients from all over the Arab world.
The facility will bridge the gap for cardiac catheterisation treatment in the region and make it accessible to a wider range of patients, especially children. By helping train new cardiothoracic and cardiovascular specialists, the facility will also help build healthcare capacities in the Arab world.
Renowned surgeon Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub expressed his gratitude to Sheikh Mohammed for the continuous support he has extended to the Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Centre. He said Sheikh Mohammed has made significant contributions to the development of the Arab region including its healthcare sector.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), cardiovascular disease is responsible for the death of 17.9 million people per year globally. WHO estimates that 54 per cent of deaths from noncommunicable diseases in the region are due to cardiovascular diseases.
