Since its introduction in 1965 by the International Council of Nurses (ICN), the day has become a global call to value the nursing profession, which serves as a pillar of healthcare and a foundation for healthier, more resilient societies.

On the occasion of International Nurses Day, nurses in Abu Dhabi shared with Aletihad what their profession means to them.

For Sara Alkuwaiti, a nurse at Imperial College London Diabetes Centre, nursing is about rebuilding trust, being a source of comfort and guidance, and reassuring every patient that they are in safe hands.

“Being a nurse is not just a profession — it is a lifelong commitment to care, compassion, and community. I’m proud to serve my country by supporting patients on their journey to better health every day,” she told Aletihad.

Alya Alhammadi, a nurse at HealthPlus, echoed the sentiment. To Alhammadi, every patient interaction is both a responsibility and a privilege, rooted in dignity, personal care, and compassion.

“Nursing allows me to make a difference in people’s lives, one patient at a time. As an Emirati nurse, I feel honoured to represent the strength and empathy of our nation’s caregivers,” she told Aletihad.

Mark McCarthy, an Irish nursing manager at the Multidisciplinary Simulation and Life Support Centre, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said: “The UAE has given me the chance to grow as a nurse and as an educator. After 20 years in this profession, I have seen how much healthcare continues to evolve, and being in a place that invests in training and innovation makes a real difference. Through simulation, we prepare caregivers for the realities of clinical care by giving them a safe space to practise, learn and improve.

McCarthy noted that education is essential for patient care and nursing in the UAE was based on trust, competence, as well as teamwork.

Also, Queen Folawiyo, an Irish senior shift leader at the Neurology/Pain Management Clinic and Chair of the Ambulatory Coordinating Council at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said being a nurse in the UAE is both a privilege and a responsibility. 

“This country has created an environment where nurses are empowered to lead change, drive quality, and shape the future of healthcare. My journey has shown me that nursing goes far beyond clinical tasks, it’s about listening, advocating, solving problems, and lifting others up every day," Folawiyo said.

"In the UAE, the opportunities to grow, to lead, and to make a difference are real. And I am proud to be part of that journey.”

Nurses Strengthen Economies

This year’s theme, “Our Nurses. Our Future. Caring for nurses strengthens economies”, serves as a reminder that supporting nurses is not only essential for patient care but also for the strength and stability of national economies. In its latest report, the ICN said that “investing in employee health could unlock $11.7 trillion in global economic returns”. 

The report also cited research showing that a 1% increase in nurse density correlates with a 0.02% increase in life expectancy. And with each additional year of life expectancy, countries exhibited a corresponding 2.4% increase in economic growth.

However, both the ICN and the WHO warn in their reports of a worsening global nursing shortage. The WHO came out with its latest “State of World’s Nursing” report on Monday, with the UAE chairing its launch in the Eastern Mediterranean region. According to the report, the world was already short by approximately 5.8 million nurses in 2023, and by 2030, 89% of the shortage will be borne by low- and lower-middle-income countries.

The ICN report added that an additional 30 million nurses will be required to meet future healthcare demands.

“We cannot and would not want to envision a world without nurses. We must take action to diminish the threats to safe, supportive, and healthy working conditions that will attract future nurses and retain the dedicated nurses who are key to healthier communities, responsive societies, thriving economies, and powerful nations,” Dr. Pamela Cipriano, ICN President, said in the report.

In response, the ICN has put forward its “Caring for Nurses Agenda”, a seven-point action plan addressing urgent areas such as fair pay, safe staffing levels, workplace safety, career progression, and mental health support.

Meanwhile, the WHO called on countries to scale up the nursing workforce “by expanding education and training capacity, increasing jobs for nurses in the health system, improving working conditions and strengthening leadership and governance”.

His Excellency Sheikh Abdulla bin Mohamed Al Hamed accompanied by Mr. Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa Al Hammadi and a number of officials toured the medical exhibition on the sidelines of the conference where his excellency was briefed on the latest medical innovations and different medications and treatments in the field of obstetrics & gynecology, and fertility.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa Al Hammadi, CEO and Managing Director of UEMedical, the parent organization of Danat Al Emarat Hospital and HealthPlus Fertility said, “On behalf of UEMedical, I would like to express our gratitude to His Excellency Sheikh Abdulla bin Mohamed Al Hamed for inaugurating and endorsing our conference today. UEMedical is keen to hold medical conferences annually to benefit from international expertise and develop the level of services provided; and we are proud to be organizing this obstetrics and gynecology conference annually in Abu Dhabi.”

Mr. Al Shorafa also revealed that UEMedical will be opening a new IVF Center under HealthPlus Fertility in Dubai within the coming few weeks, and will be expanding with another two branches in Jeddah and Riyadh within the coming 12 months. “Our facilities including Danat Al Emarat Hospital, HealthPlus Network of Specialty Services, and Moorfields Eye Hospital Abu Dhabi cover obstetrics and gynecology, fertility, laparoscopy and minimally invasive gynecologic surgery, neonatology and pediatrics, general and bariatric surgery, internal medicine, diabetes, rheumatology and endocrinology, pediatric ENT, pediatric gastroenterology, ophthalmology and many other subspecialties in addition to breast imaging and mammogram units,” Mr. Al Shorafa added.

From his side, Dr. Islam Sidky, Obstetrics & Gynecology Consultant, Minimally Invasive Surgeon at Danat Al Emarat Hospital and president of the conference said, “During the first day of the conference, three scientific sessions were held, in which eight scientific papers were discussed. These papers focused on new trends in fetal medicine, early detection of diseases in early stages, mental health amongst pregnant women, diagnosis and treatment of gestational diabetes, kidney diseases, diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy for women and children, IVF and infertility treatments; and vaccinations against cancerous tumors.”

“Some of our key lectures included a presentation by Professor Daniel Sibrebek, Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology from Switzerland, in which he discussed the different medications used in inducing labor,” Dr. Sidky added.

Dr. Islam Sidky also presented a paper about anemia and iron deficiency, in which he explained that anemia caused by iron deficiency is a worldwide problem. Latest researches by World Health Organization (WHO) showed that deaths caused by anemia ranks 13 amongst the causes of death worldwide. He also added that, based on a study by WHO in 2008, 41% of pregnant women worldwide suffer from anemia caused by iron deficiency which is a result of adapting unhealthy lifestyles and unhealthy eating habits.

“Complications from anemia might cause premature birth which requires admitting the baby to NICU and in some cases performing blood transfusion for the mother. The ideal treatment would be to give the pregnant woman the right medication through IV, which is usually given once during pregnancy. This is considered one of the latest treatments used in this field. At the same time, we do advise pregnant women to focus on healthy diets rich in meat and legumes, so they won’t get expo sed to any dangers,” Dr Sidky concluded.

Dr. Sadoon Sami Sadoon, Medical Director, Obstetrics & Gynecology Consultant and Minimally Invasive Surgeon at Danat Al Emarat Hospital for Women & Children presented a medical paper about Advanced Endoscopic Surgery in Gynecology. He talked about the importance of Endoscopic Surgery in endometriosis treatment, polycystic ovary syndrome, uterine fibroids and infertility treatments.

He also highlighted the importance of subspecialties in the treatment of these conditions using laparoscopic surgeries, pointing out that Danat Al Emarat Hospital for Women & Children brought in three specialized surgeons to establish a specialized center to treat gynecological conditions, using laparoscopic methods in addition to our established Pelvic Pain & Endometriosis Clinic.

He also said, “Danat Al Emarat Hospital receives many cases transferred from other healthcare centers and facilities in Abu Dhabi and around the UAE. These cases include complicated endometriosis cases, polycystic ovary cases, which adversely affect pregnancy and might cause infertility, and because of the advanced ultrasound technologies and advanced endoscopy, we are able to diagnose these cases in early stages and treat them at the right time.”

Dr. Sadoon also presented some complex cases, which were treated with Laparoscopy. He discussed a case for a lady in her twenties suffering from endometriosis, that caused two ovarian cysts sized 6 and 8 centimeters; thus, a laparoscopic surgery was needed to remove the cysts and insure the safety of the ovaries.

The conference will continue tomorrow,Friday, with another four scientific sessions by experts and specialists from United Arab Emirates University, Corniche Hospital, Al Zahra Hospital, Danat Al Emarat Hospital and HealthPlus Fertility; who will further discuss fetal conditions during pregnancy, diagnosis and treatment of gestational diabetes, urinary incontinence in women, diagnostic and therapeutic laparoscopy for women, IVF and infertility treatments.

Experts at the one-day conference from HealthPlus, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Mafraq Hospital, Dubai Diabetes Center and Danat A Emarat Hospital for Women & Children will discuss the latest global trends in the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes and diabetic foot syndrome as well as the latest scientific studies and a number of case studies in dealing with complex cases for patients with diabetes.

Majd Abu Zant, CEO of HealthPlus Network of Specialty Centers in Abu Dhabi, said, “UEMedical group through its different healthcare facilities is keen to hold medical conferences providing continuous medical education to the medical community. We also focus on diabetes, through our HealthPlus Diabetes & Endocrinology Center, which is highly prevalent in the region. Aiming to keep healthcare professionals informed on the latest developments in the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes and to help transfer global expertise of the latest treatments used for diabetes management to the region, our diabetes experts at the center provide comprehensive care for adults and children with diabetes from endocrinology and internal medicine to podiatry, nutrition counselling, psychology and diabetes education.”

“Alongside the scientific conference, an exhibition will be held showcasing the latest technologies and innovations in the field of diabetes,” Mr. Abu Zant added.

From his side, Dr. Mohammed Al-Khatib, Chairman of the conference and Diabetes & Endocrinology Consultant at HealthPlus Diabetes & Endocrinology Center stated, “the conference will include sessions on the challenges in diabetes management in children, the latest technologies used in the diagnosis and therapy of patients with diabetes, the relation between kidneys health and diabetes, Diabetic foot syndrome, and insulin therapy. One session will be dedicated to discuss bariatric surgery and the balance of remission of diabetes and the risks associated with bariatric interventions.”

“Speakers will also discuss several evidence-based patient cases that suffer from diabetes and how physicians managed the cases in controlling blood sugar levels to be close to normal levels. The conference will be concluded by a presentation on diabetes and pregnancy and the multidisciplinary approach for pre-existing diabetes and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM),” Dr. Al Khatib added.

The conference is accredited for 7 hours of CME hours by the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi.

Saturday, 11 March 2017 – Abu Dhabi, UAE: In acknowledging the achievements of women from all walks of life and in celebration of International Women’s Day, Nutreema Advertising LLC held on March 11, 2017, Saturday, ‘The 15th Women’s Show’ at the Intercontinental Hotel Abu Dhabi, in collaboration with Danat Al Emarat Hospital for Women & Children, HealthPlus IVF Fertility Center, and Moorfields Eye Hospital Abu Dhabi. Around 500 women from different sectors in Abu Dhabi attended the event organized in cooperation with Health & Nutrition Magazine.
During her opening remarks, head organizer Rima Sayegh Janho said: “Every woman is beautiful and determined. Her essence is worth celebrating as she remains the rock of the earth over decades. Have a Happy Women’s and Mother’s Day to all of you.”
Health talks included a talk on Endometriosis in Women, as March also marks the World Endometriosis Month. Dr. Islam Sidky, Consultant Obstetrics & Gynecology, Minimal Access Surgeon at Danat Al Emarat Hospital in Abu Dhabi who gave the talk on endometriosis said, “there is a growing need to raise awareness on endometriosis in the region. Overall incidence rate is 10 – 15%, and 50% of women suffering from fertility problems are affected by endometriosis. Number of cases are increasing and women need to understand the symptoms and the importance of early detection, and having the right diagnosis early on. The diseases could be controlled and treated effectively if diagnosed early.”
In addition to the talk on endometriosis, health talks throughout the day also included a presentation on the difference between Polycystic Ovaries and Ovarian Cysts presented by Dr. Walid Sayed, Medical Director & IVF Consultant HealthPlus Fertility Center; a talk on fertility health wellness by Dr. Bohaira El Geyoushi, Medical Director and Consultant Obstetrician Gynecologist & Fertility at Orchid Reproductive and Andrology Services; and a talk on face lifting new techniques by Dr. Christeen Youssef, Dermatology & Aesthetic Specialist & CEO at Everlast Wellness Medical Center. Lastly, a very interactive presentation was given by Dr. Lavinia Lonita, CEO of Omixy, UK on personal omics for personalized prevention.
Silver Sponsor Jotun Abu Dhabi showcased during the event its new collections called ‘Wonderful Interiors’ to highlight new color modes and painting schemes.
A fascinating jewelry show sponsored by the famous rare jewelry manufacturer Ibrahim Zein from Monte Carlo & Beirut was also staged along with a documentary video on Zein’s craftsmanship and designs which bring glamor, mystique and enchantment to every facet of life.
Star Saad Ramadan rendered a special song number, while amazing dance performances kept the audience entertained. After a Q&A forum, a raffle was held where winners brought home exclusive gift hampers and vouchers courtesy of the participating companies.
Another highlight was a fashion show by Herz led by renowned fashion designer Heba Herzallah, who showcased her latest collections of evening and casual dresses.
Medical sponsors were also given an opportunity to showcase the latest healthcare trends, healthy foods, and sample products; provide free consultations; and conduct blood pressure, blood glucose, and cholesterol check-ups. High-end retailers, on the other hand, displayed the latest in fashion, make-up, and accessories.
The successful holding of the event was due in part to the unwavering support of its sponsors, namely the Marmum Dairy; NFPC Lacnor/Blu’ New Country Healthcare; Al Zahra Hospital; Tourism Authority of Thailand; Arabian Home Healthcare; Bright Point Royal Women’s Hospital; Fakih IVF Fertility Center; Swiss Arabian Perfumes Group; Derma E; Vichy; Rosa Maria Jewelry; and Forever Chic Furniture.

Saturday, 11 March 2017 – Abu Dhabi, UAE: In acknowledging the achievements of women from all walks of life and in celebration of International Women’s Day, Nutreema Advertising LLC held on March 11, 2017, Saturday, ‘The 15th Women’s Show’ at the Intercontinental Hotel Abu Dhabi, in collaboration with Danat Al Emarat Hospital for Women & Children, HealthPlus IVF Fertility Center, and Moorfields Eye Hospital Abu Dhabi. Around 500 women from different sectors in Abu Dhabi attended the event organized in cooperation with Health & Nutrition Magazine.

During her opening remarks, head organizer Rima Sayegh Janho said: “Every woman is beautiful and determined. Her essence is worth celebrating as she remains the rock of the earth over decades. Have a Happy Women’s and Mother’s Day to all of you.”

Health talks included a talk on Endometriosis in Women, as March also marks the World Endometriosis Month. Dr. Islam Sidky, Consultant Obstetrics & Gynecology, Minimal Access Surgeon at Danat Al Emarat Hospital in Abu Dhabi who gave the talk on endometriosis said, “there is a growing need to raise awareness on endometriosis in the region. Overall incidence rate is 10 – 15%, and 50% of women suffering from fertility problems are affected by endometriosis. Number of cases are increasing and women need to understand the symptoms and the importance of early detection, and having the right diagnosis early on. The diseases could be controlled and treated effectively if diagnosed early.”

In addition to the talk on endometriosis, health talks throughout the day also included a presentation on the difference between Polycystic Ovaries and Ovarian Cysts presented by Dr. Walid Sayed, Medical Director & IVF Consultant HealthPlus Fertility Center; a talk on fertility health wellness by Dr. Bohaira El Geyoushi, Medical Director and Consultant Obstetrician Gynecologist & Fertility at Orchid Reproductive and Andrology Services; and a talk on face lifting new techniques by Dr. Christeen Youssef, Dermatology & Aesthetic Specialist & CEO at Everlast Wellness Medical Center. Lastly, a very interactive presentation was given by Dr. Lavinia Lonita, CEO of Omixy, UK on personal omics for personalized prevention.

Silver Sponsor Jotun Abu Dhabi showcased during the event its new collections called ‘Wonderful Interiors’ to highlight new color modes and painting schemes.

A fascinating jewelry show sponsored by the famous rare jewelry manufacturer Ibrahim Zein from Monte Carlo & Beirut was also staged along with a documentary video on Zein’s craftsmanship and designs which bring glamor, mystique and enchantment to every facet of life.

Star Saad Ramadan rendered a special song number, while amazing dance performances kept the audience entertained. After a Q&A forum, a raffle was held where winners brought home exclusive gift hampers and vouchers courtesy of the participating companies.

Another highlight was a fashion show by Herz led by renowned fashion designer Heba Herzallah, who showcased her latest collections of evening and casual dresses.

Medical sponsors were also given an opportunity to showcase the latest healthcare trends, healthy foods, and sample products; provide free consultations; and conduct blood pressure, blood glucose, and cholesterol check-ups. High-end retailers, on the other hand, displayed the latest in fashion, make-up, and accessories.

The successful holding of the event was due in part to the unwavering support of its sponsors, namely the Marmum Dairy; NFPC Lacnor/Blu’ New Country Healthcare; Al Zahra Hospital; Tourism Authority of Thailand; Arabian Home Healthcare; Bright Point Royal Women’s Hospital; Fakih IVF Fertility Center; Swiss Arabian Perfumes Group; Derma E; Vichy; Rosa Maria Jewelry; and Forever Chic Furniture.

Abu Dhabi-UAE: 20 March 2017 – Bloom Healthcare, a Bloom Holding subsidiary that aims to promote healthy and integrated community living, announced a collaboration with HealthPlus, a network of highly specialized outpatient centers in Abu Dhabi, to open a HealthPlus Family Health Center at Bloom Gardens in Abu Dhabi.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish the new center was signed between Sameh Muhtadi, CEO, Bloom Holding and Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa Al Hammadi, CEO & Managing Director, United Eastern Medical Services, the parent company of HealthPlus Network. Marking Bloom Healthcare’s first partnership, the facility articulates Bloom’s efforts to diversify into several new business segments including healthcare to create long-term value for its stakeholders.  

Set to open in Q3 2017, the facility will serve the residents of Bloom Gardens, an exclusive gated community located next to Khalifa Park. It will offer a wide range of in-demand specialties delivered by world-class physicians and medical experts, ensuring family-focused specialist care for patients of all ages. Specifically, the facility will offer specialties including Family Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pediatrics and Dentistry. The clinic will also facilitate daily and weekly consultations with visiting specialists in Internal Medicine, ENT and Ophthalmology from other HealthPlus centers within Abu Dhabi.

Sameh Muhtadi, CEO, Bloom Holding, said: “We are delighted to partner with HealthPlus to provide the residents of Bloom Gardens with the most advanced and comprehensive medical care. The opening of a community healthcare facility articulates our priority to ensure timely delivery of medical services to our communities and improve the quality of life and well-being of our residents.”

“The HealthPlus Family Health Center at Bloom Gardens will be fitted-out with modern medical devices and equipment to ensure an advanced level of care to all patients. From ante-natal checkups and routine medical care to day-to-day health concerns, the health center will focus on prevention as the best foundation to keep families healthy and active,” he added.

Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa Al Hammadi, CEO & Managing Director, United Eastern Medical Services, praised the collaboration with Bloom Holding that aims to provide advanced healthcare services to Abu Dhabi’s community. He further stated: “In line with our strategy, United Eastern Medical Services Group seeks to establish more specialized centers providing the people of the UAE with the best healthcare facilities comparable to international standards which comes in line with the Health Authority – Abu Dhabi strategic priorities.” 

Majd Abu Zant, CEO of HealthPlus Network of Specialty Centers said, “With the steady growth of Abu Dhabi’s population and the development of new residential communities, there will be a constant need for more healthcare facilities and medical experts. Strategically located in Bloom Gardens and through our partnership with Bloom Healthcare, we ensure patient care is kept close to where people live and work, building on our mission to improve long-term health. The clinic will also be heavily involved in promoting community health awareness and education and will support Weqaya, the national screening program of the Health Authority – Abu Dhabi.”

The health center will be part of the HealthPlus Network of Specialized Centers, which are all electronically linked through a health information management system with electronic medical records, ensuring that patient information is available instantly at any location and allowing clinicians to make faster, more informed decisions, resulting in better quality of care. The center will also be supported by Danat Al Emarat Hospital for Women & Children, and Moorfields Eye Hospital Abu Dhabi, under the umbrella of the parent group, United Eastern Medical Services.

Launched in 2010 by United Eastern Medical Services, the HealthPlus Network of Specialized Centers comprises four highly specialized centers and a premium family health clinic at Al Bandar- Al Raha Beach. The specialties offered by the network include women’s health and well-being, reproductive medicine & IVF, diabetes, endocrinology, dental care and multi-specialty pediatric care.

Bloom Holding is a group of companies dedicated to developing sustainable and integrated urban communities that offer an enriching lifestyle and quality of life. The Group is driven by its vision to surpass the expectations of buyers and investors through partnerships with best-in-class providers in education, hospitality, health care and property services. Bloom Holding has an established and growing portfolio of projects within the UAE, the MENA region, Europe and the United States.

Abu Dhabi-UAE: 20 March 2017 – Bloom Healthcare, a Bloom Holding subsidiary that aims to promote healthy and integrated community living, announced a collaboration with HealthPlus, a network of highly specialized outpatient centers in Abu Dhabi, to open a HealthPlus Family Health Center at Bloom Gardens in Abu Dhabi.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish the new center was signed between Sameh Muhtadi, CEO, Bloom Holding and Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa Al Hammadi, CEO & Managing Director, United Eastern Medical Services, the parent company of HealthPlus Network. Marking Bloom Healthcare’s first partnership, the facility articulates Bloom’s efforts to diversify into several new business segments including healthcare to create long-term value for its stakeholders.  

Set to open in Q3 2017, the facility will serve the residents of Bloom Gardens, an exclusive gated community located next to Khalifa Park. It will offer a wide range of in-demand specialties delivered by world-class physicians and medical experts, ensuring family-focused specialist care for patients of all ages. Specifically, the facility will offer specialties including Family Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pediatrics and Dentistry. The clinic will also facilitate daily and weekly consultations with visiting specialists in Internal Medicine, ENT and Ophthalmology from other HealthPlus centers within Abu Dhabi.

Sameh Muhtadi, CEO, Bloom Holding, said: “We are delighted to partner with HealthPlus to provide the residents of Bloom Gardens with the most advanced and comprehensive medical care. The opening of a community healthcare facility articulates our priority to ensure timely delivery of medical services to our communities and improve the quality of life and well-being of our residents.”

“The HealthPlus Family Health Center at Bloom Gardens will be fitted-out with modern medical devices and equipment to ensure an advanced level of care to all patients. From ante-natal checkups and routine medical care to day-to-day health concerns, the health center will focus on prevention as the best foundation to keep families healthy and active,” he added.

Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa Al Hammadi, CEO & Managing Director, United Eastern Medical Services, praised the collaboration with Bloom Holding that aims to provide advanced healthcare services to Abu Dhabi’s community. He further stated: “In line with our strategy, United Eastern Medical Services Group seeks to establish more specialized centers providing the people of the UAE with the best healthcare facilities comparable to international standards which comes in line with the Health Authority – Abu Dhabi strategic priorities.” 

Majd Abu Zant, CEO of HealthPlus Network of Specialty Centers said, “With the steady growth of Abu Dhabi’s population and the development of new residential communities, there will be a constant need for more healthcare facilities and medical experts. Strategically located in Bloom Gardens and through our partnership with Bloom Healthcare, we ensure patient care is kept close to where people live and work, building on our mission to improve long-term health. The clinic will also be heavily involved in promoting community health awareness and education and will support Weqaya, the national screening program of the Health Authority – Abu Dhabi.”

The health center will be part of the HealthPlus Network of Specialized Centers, which are all electronically linked through a health information management system with electronic medical records, ensuring that patient information is available instantly at any location and allowing clinicians to make faster, more informed decisions, resulting in better quality of care. The center will also be supported by Danat Al Emarat Hospital for Women & Children, and Moorfields Eye Hospital Abu Dhabi, under the umbrella of the parent group, United Eastern Medical Services.

Launched in 2010 by United Eastern Medical Services, the HealthPlus Network of Specialized Centers comprises four highly specialized centers and a premium family health clinic at Al Bandar- Al Raha Beach. The specialties offered by the network include women’s health and well-being, reproductive medicine & IVF, diabetes, endocrinology, dental care and multi-specialty pediatric care.

Bloom Holding is a group of companies dedicated to developing sustainable and integrated urban communities that offer an enriching lifestyle and quality of life. The Group is driven by its vision to surpass the expectations of buyers and investors through partnerships with best-in-class providers in education, hospitality, health care and property services. Bloom Holding has an established and growing portfolio of projects within the UAE, the MENA region, Europe and the United States.

21 January 2017, Abu Dhabi - UAE: IVF Specialists in Abu Dhabi were capable of helping a very rare infertility case, who suffered from impaired sperm production for over ten years, using an advanced cutting-edge technology of its kind in the world. The patient was finally able to conceive.

Majd Abu Zant, CEO of HealthPlus Network of Specialty Centers which is part of United Eastern Medical Services, said “this advanced treatment unlocks new doors to the treatment of male infertility, noting that HealthPlus Fertility Center in Abu Dhabi, with its highly competent and well-experienced medical staff and advanced technologies, uses the surgical microscope technology in treating complex cases which is considered a very advanced technique globally and used internationally in IVF specialized centers. Adapting new technologies as such help limit the need to travel abroad seeking infertility treatments.”

Dr. Walid Sayed, Reproductive Endocrinology & IVF Consultant at HealthPlus Fertility & IVF Center in Abu Dhabi, said “the cutting-edge technology used was the surgical microscope, which magnifies the cells for 400 times, and allows us to collect a very small number of sperms from one of the patient’s testes and use them to fertilize the wife’s egg. The lady is now in her second trimester after 12 years of receiving treatments and undergoing IVF cycles abroad with no success.”

Dr. Walid also explained that the use of the surgical microscope technology, also called “Micro-dissection Testicular Extraction (Microtesa)”, was introduced in the center last year and was used in the treatment of 10 infertility cases, where one of them was successful and resulted in conception which is an excellent outcome given the complexity of the ten cases who, in vain, received treatment abroad.

“The microscope is used for searching for sperms in a patient’s testes, and there are usually a handful of them only, and in many cases, a part of the semen is collected because the sperms are not fully produced, and we then perform the IVF procedure.” Dr. Walid added, “In cases where we find a few sperms, we use 1 to 3 of them for fertilizing the egg and then the rest would be stored as per international protocols and in line with UAE regulatory laws which allow storing sperms for 5 years.”

According to Dr. Walid, “the procedure, Microtesa, is performed to the husband under general anesthesia and lasts 2-3 hours, during which the testes are thoroughly scanned using the microscope for the faintest sign of sperm production. Some of the main advantages of this technique is that it has no side effects on the testicular tissues on the long-run and the rate of finding sperms using this technique exceeds 60% even in cases of dystrophy or total failure of the testicles.”

In addition to that, Dr. Walid pointed out that Micro-dissection Testicular Extraction can be re-performed several times on cases that failed to conceive. Moreover, this technology is the latest technique used in searching for sperms, especially when it comes to the cases which did not respond to traditional methods, like sperm mapping, testicular fine needle aspirations or taking a biopsy from the testis or the epididymis.

Dr. Walid emphasized that the center uses the latest techniques for treating infertility, explaining that more than 6500 treatment cycles were performed for couples since the center first opened in 2011, and that 914 male infertility cases were treated this year—261 of them were successful and got pregnant. He also pointed out that the center encompasses sophisticated units deploying the latest technologies for storing eggs and sperms, and that there was a total of 904 sperm samples and 446 eggs currently stored.

“Clinical pregnancy was achieved in 70 cases out of 312 stored sperm samples, and 92 cases were successful out of 350 stored egg samples. Furthermore, 54 out of 226 cases treated with testicular mapping resulted in successful pregnancies, and 11 out of 75 cases treated with a frozen testicular biopsy were successful,” he added.

He concluded, “storing eggs and sperm are performed following the latest technologies where electronic systems and digital codes are deployed using the “RI” monitoring system—where every sample is given a code number in order to prevent any errors while handling samples, and has 100% accuracy.”