VOICES FROM THE HEALTH SECTOR
Could you give us a brief introduction of Conceive?
In 2004, I decided to branch out on my own. At that time, Dubai's laws did not allow for private fertility centers, so I chose to locate it at the Dubai-Sharjah border. In those days, there was less traffic, and Dubai was still far from its prime. Patients were quite happy to travel to Sharjah since Conceive was a large, well-known private fertility center. Dubai's public fertility center was still operating, but we still got a lot of patients. Thereafter, Dubai started growing, and we realized that we needed an outlet in Dubai. In the meantime, Dubai relaxed its laws regarding private fertility centers; a new federal law was introduced in 2007-2008, which gave guidelines for fertility centers in general. About five years ago, we realized that patients from the other end of Dubai were finding it difficult to come to Sharjah, so we decided to open an outlet in Dubai to accommodate them.
Are you engaged in research as well as treatment?
At present, we are mainly doing clinical work. When I worked for the government, we published a great deal of original research and invented new techniques, which are now being followed all over the world. But the private sector here faces some limitations. For one, we cannot try experimental procedures according to laws set by the Ministry of Health, and rightly so.
How was the company established, and what have been some recent achievements?
Ibn Rushd Medical was established in 1996 by Mathew George as a second line distributor of pharmaceutical products; later it added several new products such as medical devices, CSSD and infection control items, safety, and hygiene products. Recently we were able to sign several exclusive contracts with reputed and well-known medical device manufacturers and hope this will support us to become one of the premium suppliers in the region.
How are you managing the competition?
There is competition in the market; everyone has to survive. In order to ensure that we do, we always strive to provide the best services to our customers by offering the best quality products with reasonable prices and timely support. We also try to add innovative and specialized medical care products in our portfolio, which includes medical-related software and several IT related products. We also recently added a diagnostic device to identify breast cancer that can be used as an early detection device. We are also focusing on outpatient and home healthcare by providing premium products with a good customer and end-user support. For specialty and diagnostic devices, we approach the competent government authorities, corporate hospitals, and specialty diagnostic centers.
What have been your biggest achievements since your establishment in 2004?
We cover most eye diseases. There has been a shift in ophthalmology over the last few years, and the admission of eye patients overnight is extremely rare. Most cases are treated in a few hours. Based on recent developments, we offer a more effective service to the population because we can treat 98% of cases. There are some rare causes where patients need to be admitted to major hospitals. However, we are a daycare hospital that offers extensive services. We have sub-specialties, including cornea, retina, refractive surgery, pediatric ophthalmology, and other fast surgeries. We have several visiting surgeons who work internationally but come here contractually.
What recent projects or initiatives have you completed?
We are doing a radical renovation at the moment and expanding our area by 50%. This expansion is almost complete. We will demolish certain existing spaces and rebuild them with state-of-the-art technology. We would like to double the size of our operating theater. We are accommodating more ophthalmology equipment and want to improve every area, such as sterilization, air conditioning, and other minute details. We want everything to be up to date according to UAE standards and the GCI. We are expanding in terms of quality and quantity. We will have seven examinations and four treatment rooms. We also want to update our recovery room because we sometimes have to administer general anesthesia.
VOICES FROM THE HEALTH SECTOR
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Interview
Abdullah Sultan Al Owais, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry
The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry is encouraging firms to undergo “smart transformation" when digitalizing their operations or introducing Industry 4.0 technologies.
read articleSpotlight Feature
Making a Difference
Sharjah has long been a pioneer in the fields of culture and education since the beginning of the UAE. Thanks to His Highness' continued focus on culture, there has been an ongoing effort to focus on educating the youth and families, encouraging greater interest in the arts, fostering social harmony, appreciating diversity, and nurturing a more mindful generation.
read articleGuest Speaker
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka , Under-Secretary-General , UN & Executive Director of UN Women
Freeing women from the fear of domestic violence and opening up opportunities for them in business is not just about doing the right thing, but also serves as a potent formula for economic growth.
read articleInterview
Taher Abu Laila , Senior Director of Northern Emirates, Consolidated Engineering Company Khatib & Alami (K&A)
The concept of smart cities is yet to be fully realized, but K&A is pioneering the adoption of digital services and working with the public sector to move toward a smarter future in an organized way.
read articleFocus: Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park
A Walk in the Park
Working toward becoming an information economy, the UAE is cashing in on the high-tech dividend, and homing in on the Emirate of Sharjah, kudos goes to the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation (SRTI) Park.
read articleInterview
Abdulla Ali Al Mahyan , Chairman, Sharjah Health Authority & Sharjah Healthcare City (SHCC)
The digital revolution underway in the healthcare sector has not skipped over Sharjah, affecting everything from patient records and software-enabled diagnostic systems to telehealth, robotic surgery, and e-pharmacy.
read articleInterview
Khalid Jasim Al Midfa , Chairman, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA)
Niche desert lodges, water parks, huge new infrastructure projects, and a world-class architectural restoration project are but a few of the things putting Sharjah on the global tourism map.
read article