The Department of Health - Abu Dhabi launches first of its kind, nationwide Clinical Genomic Medicine and Genetic Counselling Programme

ABU DHABI, UAE, Nov. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), the regulator of the healthcare sector in the Emirate, announced the launch of a Clinical Genomic Medicine and Genetic Counselling Programme for 100 Emirati physicians, from multiple healthcare facilities across the UAE. The first of its kind programme, which began in October 2023 is offered by DoH in partnership with Mass General Brigham's International Center for Genetic Disease (iCGD), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Khalifa University of Science and Technology. It is considered to be iCGD's largest and most comprehensive national genomics educational programmes and reflects DoH's consistent efforts to upskill the healthcare workforce and ultimately improve access to personalised care through the application of genomics.

This announcement is the first outcome of DoH's partnership with iCGD, following the Declaration of Collaboration signed in June 2023. The unique six-month programme, delivered by experts in the field, aims to equip doctors with the necessary knowledge and skills to handle genetic and genomic issues in a clinical setting. This vital training is a core component of the National Genome Strategy to leverage data from the Emirati Genome Programme (EGP) – the world's largest genomics programme – in order to implement personalised care and improve patient outcomes.

H.E. Dr. Noura Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary at DoH said: "Abu Dhabi has positioned itself as the region's leading destination for healthcare and innovation in life sciences. Our constant pursuit of partnerships with renowned global partners allows us to enhance healthcare outcomes and elevate the quality of life in the Emirate and beyond. Following the directives of our wise leadership, the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi is committed to empowering national competencies, by ensuring that they have access to leading experts and sharing the necessary knowledge and skills in innovative fields, such as genomics, leveraging the Emirate's advanced capabilities and its infrastructure."

Dr. Robert S.D. Higgins, President of Harvard Medical School Teaching Hospital - Brigham and Women's Hospital and Executive Vice President at Mass General Brigham stated: "We are delighted to collaborate with the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi to launch one of the largest genomic medicine training programmes, aiming to boost the capacity in genomics and genetics in the United Arab Emirates. We anticipate that the positive impacts of this initiative will extend beyond the UAE to other countries in the region."

By integrating fundamental science and medical education in the fields of genomics and precision medicine, the Clinical Genomic Medicine and Genetic Counselling Programme will provide critical education on the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, metabolic disorders, system-based illnesses, and newborn and population screening.

The EGP ranks among the most extensive population genomic initiatives, harnessing state-of-the-art whole sequencing and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies to generate high-quality data. Over 400,000 genetic samples have been collected as part of the programme, marking substantial progress towards the national target of 1 million. Emiratis of all ages are encouraged to join this transformative initiative by providing a blood sample (or an inner cheek swab for children) at one of the 143 designated sample collection centres available throughout the UAE.

About Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH):
The DoH is the regulatory body of the healthcare sector at the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and ensures excellence in healthcare by monitoring the health status of the population. DoH defines the strategy for the health system, monitors and analyses the health status of the population and performance of the system. In addition, DoH shapes the regulatory framework for the health system, inspects against regulations, enforces standards, and encourages adoption of world-class best practices and performance targets by all healthcare service providers in the Emirate. DoH also drives programmes to increase awareness and adoption of healthy living standards among the residents of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in addition to regulating scope of services, premiums, and reimbursement rates of the health system. 

For further information on DOH, visit https://www.doh.gov.ae/ and follow on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. 

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