UAE launches second phase of Egypt cardiac health programme

The Emirates Doctors Initiative announced the launch of the second phase of the Mobile Cardiac Catheterisation Centre service in Egyptian villages under the Egypt-UAE Cardiac Health Programme.

This comes after the project's success since its inception in 2015 in delivering high-quality healthcare to heart patients. 

This pioneering initiative - the first of its kind in the Middle East - aims to improve medical and specialised services for the elderly and women in remote areas far from specialised hospitals, and to train medical staff according to the latest international standards.

The second phase was launched following the successful completion of the pilot phase in Africa, which treated thousands of heart patients and performed hundreds of cardiac catheterisation procedures over the past ten years.

This effort falls under the Zayed Humanitarian Campaigns, in line with the directives of the wise leadership to adopt innovative and unprecedented initiatives and to provide the best services to patients in need.

The second phase is being implemented in Egyptian villages under the sponsorship of the Egyptian Ministry of Health and the supervision of doctors from the UAE and Egypt, who are part of the Young Humanitarian Medical Leaders Programme (YHMLP), and led by Dar Al Ber Society, the Emirates Mobile Clinics, and the global company GE, under a voluntary and humanitarian framework.

The operational plan in Egypt includes two stages: the first focuses on building capacity and medical readiness, and the second involves operating the Mobile Cardiac Catheterisation Centre to perform catheterisation procedures. The goal is to ease the burden on heart patients in remote areas and to provide diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive services with the active participation of Emirati, Egyptian, and French medical teams.

The launch of the second phase aligns with the humanitarian spirit of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and continues the humanitarian efforts of the Zayed Giving Initiative, which began in 2000. Over the past 25 years, it has reached millions across the globe, etting a local and international example in humanitarian and social entrepreneurship.

Emirati heart surgeon Dr. Adel Abdullah Al Shameri Al Ajmi, CEO of the Zayed Giving Initiative, confirmed that during its initial humanitarian missions in Africa, the Mobile Cardiac Catheterisation Centre treated thousands of heart patients—children and the elderly—suffering from acute and chronic cardiac conditions. It also examined hundreds of cases with congenital defects and diseases of the arteries, heart, and valves.

He explained that the next phase includes operating the Centre in Egypt under the supervision of the Egyptian Ministry of Health. A joint committee has been formed to ensure the sustainability and continuity of specialised cardiac services. Additionally, dedicated teams have been assigned to design and organize training programs for medical staff to perform heart procedures according to the highest standards within the mobile surgical units.