ABU DHABI, 18th October, 2021 (WAM) -- Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), the UAE’s largest healthcare network, has officially launched a new mobile mammogram clinic as part of SEHA’s Ambulatory Healthcare Services in partnership with EIN Healthcare and Siemens Healthineers.
At the inauguration event held today, the clinic was officially opened in the presence of Ernst Peter Fischer, Ambassador of Germany to the United Arab Emirates; Dr. Marwan Al Kaabi, Group Chief Operations Officer at SEHA, Dr. Noura Al Ghaithi, AHS Chief Executive Officer, Ole Per Maloy, CEO, Siemens Healthineers Middle East and Southern & Eastern Africa, and André Vreman, Chief Executive Officer at EIN Healthcare.
The state-of-the-art mobile clinic, designed by EIN Healthcare, features Siemens Healthineers high-precision mammography system, MAMMOMAT Inspiration capable of performing low dose mammography examinations without compromising on image quality, marking a significant leap in patient care and equitable access across the Emirate.
Speaking at the sidelines of the event, Dr. Marwan Group Chief Operations Officer at SEHA, said, "At SEHA, we strive to apply the latest technology to patient care and are continuously looking at how we can bring excellent patient care closer to people’s homes. Through our partnerships with Siemens Healthineers and EIN Healthcare, the launch of the mobile mammogram clinic will offer people across Abu Dhabi Emirate the latest technology coupled with convenience and leading patient care. We hope this new mobile facility will encourage even more people to access vital preventative healthcare services and, ultimately, save many lives too."
The 11.6m long and 3m wide mobile mammogram clinic includes a mammogram room, two dressing rooms to ensure complete privacy and comfort, and a reception desk connected to the electronic patient file system used in all SEHA facilities.
Dr. Noura Al Ghaithi, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Ambulatory Healthcare Services (AHS), SEHA, continued, "With Ambulatory Healthcare Services being a key gateway for patient access to the health system, we are deeply committed to educating patients about the importance of preventive examinations. To underline our efforts, we have successfully increased the percentage of Thiqa female patients aged 40 to 69 who have undergone mammograms from 28 percent in 2012 to 80.5 percent in 2020. Through our mobile mammogram clinic, we aim to further increase this number and urge women, who are over the age of 40 or have risk-factors, to ensure they are getting mammogram checks every two years."
The mobile mammogram clinic is designed to maximise comfort for its patients. It can be climate controlled through temperature adjustment and contains air sterilisers to ensure the highest standards of hygiene and safety at all times. The clinic also extends its services to people of determination by featuring an electric wheelchair lift.
André Vreman, CEO, EIN Healthcare added: "This digitally connected mobile clinic enhances convenient access to mammography screening for a greater group of women who need it the most. It is congruent with the international drive towards localisation and telehealth in cancer prevention and care. It is our honour to have implemented this together with SEHA and we hope it will be beneficial to many women in the UAE."
Ole Per Maloy, CEO Siemens Healthineers Middle East and Southern & Eastern Africa, commented, "It is never too early for early detection, this is the key message we want to bring to the fore. As a company we are committed to raising awareness of breast cancer and are very pleased to join forces with SEHA in their mission to educate women about the importance of preventive examinations and in carrying out screening programs."
The new mammogram mobile clinic is planned to be used in Al Ain, where the clinic will visit all SEHA health centers periodically, and will be used for events and campaigns, most notably the breast cancer awareness campaign organised by SEHA in October each year to ensure equitable access to cancer care and education.
AHS also provides mammogram testing at Al Muwaiji Healthcare Center in Al Ain, in addition to four health centers in Abu Dhabi: Baniyas Healthcare Center, Madinat Khalifa Healthcare Center, Al Bateen Healthcare Center and Al Zafaranah Diagnostic & Screening Center.