•  Initiative presents family offers and discounts up to 50 per cent
• Activities include handicrafts, movies and children programs
• Discounted meal offers upon purchasing entrance tickets

July 30, 2017 – As a part of the ongoing ‘Sharjah Summer’ campaign, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) has revealed the exciting new activities and promotions, including water-based and family oriented events, at the Al Majaz and Al Qasba Waterfront in Sharjah. This falls in line with “Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021”, which aims at positioning the emirate as a leading local, regional and global tourist destination.

According to the SCTDA, the ‘Sharjah Summer’ campaign is a unique initiative focused on throwing the spotlight on the emirate’s tourism potential, which includes must-see places, major exciting events and highly attractive promotional activities–all developed and designed to position Sharjah as a highly preferred tourism haven. In addition, the campaign also aims to offer a unique experience to tourists and visitors.

H.E. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA, said: “Launching of the new activities during ‘Sharjah Summer’ Campaign and adding that the planned set of events and programs have been designed to give a positive vibe for families, especially children, in a bid to attract more visitors and tourists to the emirate. The campaign has been implemented to further reinforce efforts in achieving SCTDA’s vision by attracting more than 10 million visitors by 2021 and strengthening its reputation as an ideal family destination.”

Visitors can avail of key discounts of up to 20 to 50 per cent on meals upon purchase of their entrance tickets.  Some of the attractions to look out for at the area are a splash park, pirate village, kids’ movie nights, food and beverage stalls, memorial room, an arts & crafts workshop, face painting sessions, treasure hunt, live water shows for children and many other exciting offerings. Meanwhile, Al Qasba Waterfront area will be showcasing highly entertaining games, promotions, arts & crafts workshops, free kids’ movies and more.

The inaugural edition of the Sharjah Summer campaign was launched on June 27 and features events, educational & creative programs and workshops that aim to attract residents and tourists. The campaign will continue until September 8, 2017.

Zulekha Hospitals Dubai and Sharjah welcome more than 2,902 women for medical tests to reduce breast cancer cases in UAE

Dubai, UAE, 8 January, 2017: Zulekha Hospital says its ongoing breast cancer awareness drive is having a growing impact after a record number of female patients registered for X-Ray mammograms and specialist check-ups.

A total of 2,902 women have attended medical appointments at Zulekha Hospitals in Sharjah and Dubai since the launch of the ‘Pink It Now’ initiative in October 2016. This represents a 58% increase in consultations from its 2015 campaign.

Launched by Her Excellency Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Founding Board Member of Friends for Cancer Patients (FoCP), ‘Pink It Now’ was the latest part of Zulekha Hospitals’ string of CSR initiatives aimed at raising health awareness in the UAE.

According to a WHO World Cancer Report, breast cancer has a substantially higher incidence than any other type of carcinoma. In 2012 alone the UAE registered 568 incidences of the disease, a rate five times higher than those of cervical or colorectal cancer and currently the disease amounts to 30% of all cancer cases across the MENA region.

“The numbers clearly show that our messages about the importance of the disease detection and treatment options prompt women into action,” said Dr Pamela Munster, renowned cancer expert from the University of California in San Francisco (UCSF), United States, and the campaign’s long-standing ambassador.

“We want women to acknowledge that while some of them are in the higher breast cancer risk group due to their age, race or family history, anyone can develop this disease.”

The initiative, which concluded last week (Saturday, 31 December), comes in line with the UAE government’s health goal of decreasing cancer fatalities within 2021, and is being undertaken in collaboration with The Pink Caravan, a FoCP initiative that has been functioning in the UAE since 2011 to raise awareness about breast cancer; highlighting the importance of early detection, regular check-ups, and dispelling the innumerable myths that surround the disease.

Dr Munster added: “Our aim is to educate women regardless of their age or background about the prevention, screening, and treatment procedures because timely management of the disease can reduce fatalities up to 98% and we want to equip all females across the UAE with this knowledge.”

Zanubia Shams, Zulekha Hospital Co-chairperson and the campaign’s creator, said: “We are overwhelmed by the response to ‘Pink It Now’ as the number of women registering for appointments grew by 58 per cent since last year while the number of positive cases detected remained at 13.

“We believe that by empowering women with extensive knowledge about breast cancer and stressing the importance of regular screenings as well as providing information about relevant treatment options, we help them make informed decisions about their health now and in the future.”

‘Pink It Now,’ supported by partners including Friends of Cancer Patients, Pink Caravan, Ford Warriors in Pink – Ford MENA, Nestle Fitness, Bhima Jewellers, Colors TV, radio channels HUM FM and CLUB FM, and Femina ME, is one of Zulekha Hospital’s core CSR initiatives, stressing the importance of strategies for cancer prevention, early detection and management of patients with the disease. The campaign will return to Dubai and Sharjah in October 2017.

UAE HOSPITAL BECOMES FIRST IN MIDDLE EAST TO EARN TOP GREEN BUIDLING RATING

Sharjah, UAE, 11 October, 2016: A UAE hospital has become the first in the Middle East to achieve the highest rating in one of the leading green building certification programmes used globally.

Zulekha Hospital Sharjah has been certified at Platinum level under the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (LEED EBOM) rating system, awarded for the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of green buildings.

Taher Shams, Managing Director of Zulekha Hospitals, said: “Becoming the first healthcare organisation awarded Platinum LEED certificate in the Middle East is a testimony to our long-term commitment to being an environmentally conscious and responsible business.

“We are very proud to be recognised by the U.S. Green Building Council and we’ll continue to focus on our patients’ safety and wellbeing by ensuring exceptional healthcare service quality while protecting our environment in a pro-active manner.”

To earn the LEED certification, organisations have to comply with numerous pre-requisites and score credit points in seven green categories, including sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, innovation in operations and regional priority credits. Only three U.S. hospitals have achieved Platinum certification to date.

Shams added: “We made an initial survey during the construction phase of the building and numerous innovative sustainable features were integrated into the facility to create a highly sustainable building that reflects our commitment to the environment.”

Upon its completion in 2012, Zulekha Hospital Sharjah received the Best Sustainable Green Building Design award, followed by the Best Sustainable Hospital Award from the Hospital Build & Infrastructure Awards a year later.

In 2013 the hospital became a member of the Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (SEWA) Energy Team, which is dedicated to smart practices in management of electricity and water, and published Global Reporting Initiative report about its CSR programme, becoming as one of the first few organizations in MENA region to do so.

Zanubia Shams, Co-chairperson of Zulekha Hospitals, said: “We’d also like to thank Sharjah government officials, in particular from Sharjah Government Directorate of Town Planning & Survey and SEWA, as their on-going support since the inception of Zulekha Hospital Sharjah has greatly contributed to our achievement in providing the community with sustainable healthcare.”

In 2015, Zulekha Hospital Sharjah received the ISO 14001 certification, an environmental management system accreditation, awarded to organisations with environmental objectives at the core of their business strategies.

Zulekha Hospital Sharjah is a full-fledged, multi-disciplinary hospital and diagnostic centre with out-patient and in-patient facilities. What started off as a 30-bed set up with basic facilities for gynaecology, obstetrics, surgery, medicine and paediatrics in 1992, today boasts services across 32 disciplines and 150 in-patient beds.

Spread over an area of 240,000 sq ft, Zulekha Hospital Sharjah has more than 1,800 personnel, including 300 qualified doctors, staff nurses and a host of paramedical staff.

The Cardiac Care, Intensive Care, Neo-Natal Intensive Care and Burn Units all include super speciality beds. Last month the hospital opened a new US$4 million wing adding another 31 in-patient rooms and taking the total number of beds available to 150.

UAE records second lowest nosocomial infections in the world

UAE, May 30, 2016 – The Ministry of Health and Prevention will be supporting the Kuwait Hospital in Sharjah in organizing a workshop entitled “(no damage no harm)” at Al Qasimia University. The workshop aims to train medical, nursing and technical staff of government and private hospitals on the issue infection control and has been organized in line with directives of the government to further enhance and develop national health services. The workshop was conducted in the presence of His Excellency Dr. Youssif Al Serkal, Assistant Undersecretary for the Ministry of Health & Prevention Hospitals Sector, and Mr. Mohammed Abdullah Al Zarouni, Director of Sharjah Medical zone and Mrs. Amna Karam Director of Kuwait Hospital in Sharjah, and Dr. Najiba Abdul Razak Chairman of the Committee for the Prevention and Infection in the Ministry.

Dr. Yousef Al Serkal emphasized the importance of this workshop, which was held in line with the Ministry’s strategic efforts to reduce the risk of infection and to ensure the safety of patients and staff at health facilities. This workshop is an important step towards further enhancing medical services to meet the national indicators and further expand the Ministry’s facilities in accordance with the international standards. The move falls in line with the objectives set forth by the National Agenda in line with UAE Vision 2021, which aims to ensure that all health facilities and the Ministry receive international accreditation by 2021.

Dr. Serkal, mentioned that hospital-acquired infections are the major challenges facing the medical facilities, as it is often caused by microbes and new bacteria. He further noted it is for this reason that health care providers must work diligently to prevent the spread of bacteria and its occurrence to avoid complications. He highlighted the Ministry’s implementation of a system to monitor and investigate hospital-acquired infections noting that the Ministry effectively succeeded in reducing the acquired infection rate in hospitals through the adoption and application of policies and procedures from international organizations. This reflected in the statistics and reports of the World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control in the US which noted that the rate of hospital-acquired infections in hospitals affiliated with the Ministry is only about 3 per cent, which is the second lowest in the world.

Mrs. Amna Karam noted that the workshop organized by the Health Education Department and the Committee on Infection Control in Kuwait Hospital, aims to ensure the safety of patients and staff in healthcare facilities by preventing or reducing the proportion of infection gained from residency and work in hospitals and give workers across the organization with the necessary skills to prevent the infection and promote patient safety across all health facilities.

The workshop covered several key topics and Dr. Zakaria Al Attal, first institutional development and international accreditation adviser, MOHAP, delivered lecture on infection control program according to the requirements of international accreditation. While Dr. Shaima Hussein, chief of laboratory department and infection control in Kuwait Hospital, spoke on blood infection. The work shop also included a lecture by Dr. Ahmed Al Suwaidi Artistic, Director of Kuwait Hospital, on how to deal with the treatment of wounds after operations, as well as a lecture by Dr. Hala Fouad Consultant Microbiology Al Baraha Hospital regarding basic precautions to prevent the spread of infection in hospitals.

Dr. Thomas, Head of Endoscopes in Kuwait Hospital discussed respiratory infections and how to avoid them; Dr. Sana Zahra, Emergency Doctor in Kuwait Hospital spoke on how hospital staff should take precautions to avoid infection while using sharp medical equipment; Dr. Mubarak Zine El Abidine mystical doctor of Kuwait Hospital discussed how to avoid infection from a urinary catheter; and Dr. Ahmed Ajwa, anesthesiologist at Dubai Health Authority, discussed with infection attendants regarding the installation of central blood catheter.

The workshop featured competitions for participants who were quizzed on key information about how to avoid infection and to combat their spread in hospitals. Dr. Yousef Al Serkal and Mr. Mohammed Abdullah Al Zarouni concluded the event by honoring the speakers and organizers for a successful workshop.

Dr Zulekha Daud, Mr. Taher Shams in strategic collaborative talks with Eng. Salah Butti bin Butti Almheiri, Government of Sharjah

Dubai, UAE, 16 January 2016: Management from Zulekha Hospital had strategic discussions with the Government of Sharjah to strengthen the emirate’s healthcare sector and better serve the local community with world-class affordable services.

A meeting between Eng. Salah Butti Bin Butti Almheiri, Chairman and Member of the Executive Council, Directorate of Town Planning and Survey, Government of Sharjah and Dr Zulekha Daud, Chairperson of Zulekha Hospital and Mr Taher Shams, Managing Director of Zulekha Hospital, saw a range of current and future local healthcare developments discussed.

Dr Zulekha Daud extended gratitude towards the Government of Sharjah for their continued support in improving the healthcare services in the region by providing land, approvals and licences for key projects.

Commenting on the socio-economic contribution of the hospital, Eng. Salah Butti Bin Butti Almheiri, said: “We are thankful to Dr Zulekha Daud for setting up an example for generations to come in the healthcare sector by serving our communities selflessly.

“We are willing and happy to support the hospital’s projects as they aim to develop Sharjah as an important hub of healthcare in the UAE, creating greater health awareness and opportunities, and improving the standard of living in our people as the oldest and key hospital in the Emirate.”

Mr Taher Shams added: “Zulekha Hospital is seen as a renowned healthcare brand with skilled specialists serving people passionately.  We want to bring together the best professionals and offer world class quality services to the masses, while at the same time, engaging and educating them through various events, digital and print platforms.  We strive to play a key role in evolving the region.”

The contributions from Zulekha Hospital in serving the community have been recognised and valued by the Government of Sharjah since the hospital was created.  Providing affordable healthcare services to those in need, Dr Zulekha Daud aspires to give more back to society every day and with this mission in mind, her management team plans to expand operations and collaboration with UAE governing bodies.

Internationally recognised and respected, Dr. Zulekha Daud is the epitome of courage, a quality that she has passed on to her workforce.  It is reflected in their unwavering passion to improve medical services in the Emirates.

Dubai, UAE, 13 December, 2015: Zulekha Hospital Sharjah has been awarded the most ‘mother friendly’ healthcare facility by the Sharjah Baby Friendly City Campaign.

The announcement was made in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, during a ceremony held to reveal the results of the Sharjah Baby-Friendly City Campaign (SBFC) at Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre.

Dr Zulekha Daud, Founder and Chairperson of Zulekha Hospital, was joined by her daughter, Ms Zanubia Shams, Co-Chairperson of Zulekha Hospital who were recognised during this auspicious event for their outstanding contribution towards the Mother Friendly Workplace initiative.

Zanubia Shams, Co-Chairperson, Zulekha Hospital said: “We work tirelessly to ensure that our services and facilities are accessible to our local communities.  We know how busy many of our patients are, and when you have a sick child, you need to choose a healthcare facility that you can trust wholeheartedly.

“We are honoured to have been recognised for the work the hospital team has put in – from the administrative team welcoming and registering patients, to the nursing staff and our specially trained doctors, a satisfied patient journey is our number one priority.  We thank His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan and the Sharjah Baby Friendly City campaign organisers for this accolade.”

When Dr Zulekha moved to the UAE from Nagpur, India in 1964, it was her dream to serve people in need and offer affordable medical facilities to all.

Today, the Zulekha Healthcare Group runs two multi-specialty hospitals – Dubai and Sharjah, three medical centres and a pharmacy network.

One of the forerunners in UAE healthcare, Zulekha Hospital has earned widespread recognition for service to patients, collecting the Dubai Quality Award twice in the last four years.  The hospital is frequently playing its part towards society and most recently spearheaded a new breast cancer awareness initiative to help reduce the incidence of the disease and save lives across the Emirates.

Dubai and Sharjah facilities welcome more than 450 women for screenings and mammograms as part of breast cancer awareness initiative

Dubai, UAE, 31 October, 2015: Zulekha Hospital, a pioneer in UAE healthcare, has reported a significant increase in the number of female patients registered for screenings and mammograms as part of its new ‘Pink it Now’ breast cancer awareness initiative.

Launched at the beginning of October with the support of Ford Warriors in Pink and Dubai Islamic Bank, the campaign has encouraged more than 450 women to take advantage of the free consultation offer and make appointments at Zulekha Hospitals in Dubai and Sharjah.

“We have been inundated with calls from women across the UAE and have been extremely impressed with the turnout of patients following the launch of our campaign,” said Zanubia Shams, CEO of Zulekha Hospital. “Our intention is to create more awareness of breast cancer and encourage women to get checked regularly.  We are incredibly pleased with the success of the campaign so far and believe it will continue over the coming months.”

The key messages of the hospital’s campaign are to encourage women to arrange regular checks, remind them of the importance of mammograms and self-checking, and show that together the community can help prevent breast cancer if the disease is detected at an early enough stage.

Running until 31 December 2015, women in the UAE over the age of 40 can take advantage of free specialist consultations by Zulekha Hospital oncologists and surgeons as well as receive a free mammogram. The campaign forms part of the worldwide initiative dedicated to building awareness, educating women on breast cancer and empowering them to beat the disease.

Dr. Raja Easa Al Gurg, Managing Director of Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group, Vice Chairperson of the Board of Directors & Executive Director – Dubai Authority & Board of Trustees for the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, said: “Today, more than one third of breast cancers can be prevented, yet most women are unaware that healthy lifestyle changes can reduce their risks of developing the disease.

“Genetics and family history account for just 5-10% of breast cancers.  Close to 90% are linked to other factors.  Helping women to increase their understanding of risk factors and encouraging healthy behaviours that help reduce that risk, is vital in improving the chances of preventing the disease.

“It is encouraging to see Zulekha Hospital provide women with the information and tools they need to make changes that will significantly reduce their risk of breast cancer.”

While it is more common in women over 40 years of age and those with a strong family history of the disease, breast cancer can affect women regardless of their age, ethnicity, genetics or reproductive history, a fact that was highlighted at the official launch event by eminent doctors, cancer campaigners and breast cancer survivors.  The long-term goal of the campaign is to build awareness, educate women on breast cancer and empower them to beat the disease.

Dr. Layla Mohamed Al Marzouqi, Director of DHA Health Regulation and Dubai Medical Tourism Project, said: “Awareness about breast cancer is critical for early detection and to help save lives.  Initiatives such as the ‘Pink it Now’ campaign encourage women to go for consultations and re-emphasise the importance of mammograms and early detection.”

• New Beetle R-Line arrives at Al Nabooda Automobiles showrooms across Dubai and Northern Emirates
• New Beetle R-Line’s sporty interior and exterior design displays Volkswagen’s racing heritage

Volkswagen Beetle R Line

Dubai, 16 September, 2015: Al Nabooda Automobiles has welcomed a new addition to the Volkswagen R family, with the arrival of the much anticipated sporty Beetle R-Line.

The new Beetle R-Line joins the dynamic Volkswagen R model line-up, which currently includes the iconic Golf R, the Scirocco R, and the Touareg, Tiguan and CC R-Line models, developed by Volkswagen R GmbH, a division of Volkswagen responsible for developing sport-tuned models with bold detailing that are aggressive by design.

The Beetle R-Line exhibits the sporty Volkswagen R GmbH racing heritage, the bumper features added air intakes front and centre to feed more air to the turbocharged 210 HP 2.0-litre engine. The rear of the car presents a lower diffuser and a large spoiler in addition to R-Line door entry sills. Tying together the powerful look of the R-Line model are the 20-inch “Monterey” alloy wheels, tucked under the muscular fenders.

To match the sporty exterior, Volkswagen has fitted the R-Line with a bold interior, including two-tone cloth sport seats, a multi-function leather-wrapped steering wheel with R-Line badging and a set of sport gauges mounted on the top of the centre console adding racing flair to the statement R-Line model.

Thierry Seys, General Manager at Volkswagen, Al Nabooda Automobiles, said, “Fans of our sporty models will enjoy the new Beetle R-Line, which boasts the comfortable dimensions of a luxury hatchback and the dynamic attributes of the Volkswagen R family.

“We anticipate the popularity of the Beetle with our customers across Dubai and the Northern Emirates will continue with the arrival of the new R-Line to our showrooms.”

The new R-Line is available as standard with panoramic tilt/slide sunroof, Xenon headlamps with LED separate daytime running lights, a multi-function leather-wrapped steering wheel with gear shift and composition media radio systems, enabling greater in-car connectivity than ever before with touch screen technology based on proximity sensors, intuitive ergonomic interfaces, multi-phone connection utilizing Bluetooth technology and USB connection.

VIP service provides patients with free parking, Wi-Fi, and refreshments at Dubai and Sharjah hospitals

Dubai, UAE, 9 September, 2015: Patients at Zulekha Hospital in Dubai and Sharjah now have the opportunity to experience a new fast-track service to make their doctor’s appointments easier and more convenient.

The multi-disciplinary, award winning hospitals have introduced the premium service fast-track lounge to offer patients a speedier appointment and 30 minute consultations.

The one stop shop fast-track lounge provides appointment slip generation, payments, insurance approvals, doctor’s consultation, sample collection and medication dispatching all in the same dedicated area and patients also have access to free Wi-Fi and refreshments.

“The new fast-track service was implemented in response to feedback from our patients and has been very well received so far.  We’re giving the community a choice in their treatment services and this new option makes life easier for those with especially busy schedules,” said Zanubia Shams, CEO of Zulekha Hospital.

“We’re always looking to go that extra step to take the best possible care of our patients and we hope we can satisfy all of their needs through the introduction of our new fast-track service.”

Fast-track patients are monitored by a dedicated coordinator who liaises with doctors and other healthcare professionals to make sure the process is up to speed and being handled timely and efficiently.

One of the forerunners in UAE healthcare, Zulekha Hospital has earned widespread recognition for service to patients, collecting the Dubai Quality Award twice in the last four years.

Private hospital provides live access to its operating room to teach UAE peers, share best practice

Dubai, UAE, 3 August, 2015: A leading UAE-based obesity surgeon has successfully completed a first of its kind live bariatric surgery demonstration to peers at Zulekha Hospital Sharjah.

Dr Hussam Al Trabulsi, MD, MRCS, FEBS, Specialized in  Advanced Laparoscopy and Bariatric (Obesity) Surgery, performed two surgeries – a gastric bypass and a gastric sleeve – in front of more than 100 medical professionals at the end of July.

Ahead of the surgeries, Dr Al Trabulsi addressed the audience with an overview of his surgical approach for both patients and offered his guidance and advice in how to avoid complications specific to bariatric surgery.

“Bariatric surgery has been available at Zulekha Hospital for the past two years and in that time, I have completed 180 successful procedures which have had a lasting impact on the lives of our patients,” said Dr Al Trabulsi.

“Having taught in workshops across my native Syria, being presented with the opportunity to share my experience with my peers here in Sharjah has been a fulfilling moment in my career.  The surgeries were both successful and I look forward to following up with both patients in their recoveries.”

The bariatric team at Zulekha Hospital Sharjah treat cases of moderate to severe obesity four to five times a week.

Led by Dr Al Trabulsi, patients are helped to significantly lose weight, reduce cholesterol levels and lower their blood pressure.  The option of surgery helps to prevent the development of future conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, arthritis and cardiovascular diseases.

Zanubia Shams, CEO of Zulekha Hospital, said, “This is the first time we have provided access to our operating theatres and is a further example of the innovation and creativity that we work hard to achieve among our doctors and within our hospitals.  There was an unmistakable atmosphere in the auditorium as the live feed was streamed from the O.R. and we are pleased to have the facilities to host these teaching experiences.

“I congratulate Dr Al Trabulsi and his team for their fine work and look forward to welcoming more healthcare professionals from around the UAE to our hospitals for more training of this kind.”

Each doctor who attended the event received two hours of Continued Medical Education (CME) from the Ministry of Health.

Zulekha Hospital has a long history as a teaching hospital which dates back to the principles of its founder Dr Zulekha Daud.

Last month, Zulekha Hospital Sharjah became the first private hospital in Sharjah and the Northern Emirates to be affiliated with the American Heart Association as an international Life Support Training Centre, offering a range of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care courses to healthcare and non-healthcare professionals.

Further live demonstration events, open only to registered medical professionals with pre-registration required, will be planned in the future.  For more information, email synapse@zulekhahospitals.com.