Ministry launches child friendly robotic service

The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP)  has launched a child-friendly robotic service at Dibba Hospital to ensure the happiness of sick children, reduce and overcome the fear of visiting hospitals.

The new initiative comes as part of the ministry’s efforts to enhance smart healthcare and cement the quality of innovative health services.

The kid-friendly robot, which can be remotely or self-directed, will be used to transport children from the hospital’s entrances to the pediatric clinic in bid to reduce psychological burden and grant them a sense of reassurance when visiting the hospital to receive treatment and healthcare services.

Dr Kalthoum Al Baloushi, Director of Hospitals Administration, emphasised the ministry’s keenness to harness all resources and potential to develop innovative solutions. The ministry spares no efforts to improve the quality of medical services provided to patients, especially to children, and overcome all difficulties that eventually satisfy and please all patients.

“We are developing the capabilities of the child-friendly robot to deliver interactive and attractive services according to the latest technological developments. The ministry does always adopt  the latest technologies and innovative  solutions to serve the community and ensure its happiness. The newly introduced robotic service comes in line with the ministry’s strategy to provide health services and medical care in accordance with the highest international standards,” Al Baloushi added.

“Dibba Hospital is always keen to keep abreast of the latest developments and introduce new techniques that help deliver the best and finest healthcare services. Launching the child-friendly robotic service at Dibba Hospital cements MOHAP plans, objectives and strategies to provide comprehensive healthcare and integrated services following innovative and sustainable techniques,” Obaid Khalfan Al Khadim, director of Dibba Hospital, said.

“The robotic service initiative was launched to bring joy into the hearts of sick children and help them break the fear barrier,” he concluded.

The MOHAP, represented by Al Qassimi Hospital, Sharjah, recently organised an Endocrine Conference at the Hilton Sharjah.

A number of researchers, consultants, and international speakers participated in the event along with doctors, internal medicine nurses from various government and private hospitals.

On the sidelines of the conference, lectures were held on diverse topics including common endocrine diseases and the recent updates on their diagnosis and treatment, latest updates and researches of diabetes, its complications and recent methods of treatment.

The lectures also tackled the impact of thyroid on pregnancy and the foetus in terms of hypertension, abortion, and premature birth. Other topics included how to deal with thyroid cancer, eye diseases due to hyperthyroidism, in addition to thyroid-stimulating hormone test and diseases affecting the adrenal and pituitary glands, as well as treatment methods.

Dr Kalthoum Al Baloushi, Director of MOHAP’s Hospitals Administration, said, “The conference aims to enhance healthcare levels, provide doctors with latest updates on endocrine diseases, boost communication and sharing experiences among healthcare communities, as well as submit best recommendations on clinical practices.”

Dr Nawal Al Mutawa, Consultant Endocrinologist at Al Kuwait Hospital, Sharjah, shed light on the importance of MOHAP’s Annual Endocrine Conference and its high-profile reputation among the country’s healthcare communities.

“The conference contributes effectively to shedding more light on endocrine diseases and their impact on body organs and vital functions. Further to that, the conference was a good opportunity to educate clinicians on new diagnostic and treatment options in accordance with the latest international methods,” Dr. Al Mutawa said.

She stressed that women are more vulnerable than men with regard to endocrine disorders because of hormonal changes after the age of 40, while pointing out that medical science has not yet fully understood the reasons for endocrine disorders which are not genetic.

On Monday, the MOHAP signed an agreement with the French Embassy to train and qualify Emirati postgraduate physicians in France.