Etisalat Signs Strategic MOU with Health Authority

Abu Dhabi (HAAD) to Jointly Develop Innovative
m-Health and e-Health Services
Etisalat and HAAD today announce an important strategic alliance to improve the health of the residents of Abu Dhabi through developing and marketing a range of innovative mobile and electronic health services available to all.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Jamal Al Nuaimi, General Manager – Abu Dhabi Region- Etisalat and H.E. Eng. Zaid Al Siksek, CEO of HAAD, setting-out a pioneering collaboration between the two organizations. The MOU lays-out a joint vision of using technology to improve quality of life for individuals, families, communities and the UAE.
Under the MOU, Etisalat and HAAD will share ideas, expertise and know-how to bring together a range of technologies to help drive Weqaya, the community-wide programme addressing diabetes and the other risks for cardiovascular disease, our single biggest cause of death. Bringing together their expertise the partners will design and implement targeted applications to deliver secure, confidential, accurate “Weqaya” personalized health data and information to patients across Abu Dhabi alongside specific, individual advice for living a healthier life.
The collaboration will also work towards designing and implementing disease management programs for the population at risk to effectively help prevent Cardio Vascular Diseases, the nation’s number one cause of morbidity and mortality.
Commenting on the strategic alliance, Mr. Jamal Al Nuaimi, said: “Etisalat is delighted to partner with HAAD in our unswerving commitment to offer new age m-Health and e-Health solutions. At Etisalat, we believe that it is critical for telecom leaders to harness the benefits that mobile technology can bring to healthcare, in both sociological and economic terms. Our collaboration with HAAD will progressively aim to build on each other’s skills in analyzing and interpreting the Waqaya data, and eventually design and implement a holistic patient support programme, which will encompass proactive patient reminders, disease information sharing, patient awareness and medical education solutions through innovative m-Health and e-Health applications.”
According to H.E. Eng. Zaid Al Siksek, CEO of HAAD, “With 71 per cent of the population at risk of Cardio Vascular Disease [CVD], and a projected increase of 940 CVD deaths per year by 2020, it is pertinent for the government and the health professionals to develop new and innovative ways to tackle such medical challenges for the welfare of the community. Through our strategic association with Etisalat, we endeavor to develop innovative m-health and e-health solutions towards enabling preventive care and proactive disease management. HAAD aims to create a well-knit and integrated Patient Care ecosystem that combines critical elements such as patient education, healthcare support systems and timely healthcare delivery.”
Chronic conditions and diseases such as Diabetes and Cardio Vascular Diseases are the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in UAE. HAAD has taken extensive measures to create awareness about Chronic Diseases and developed proactive mechanisms to ensure excellence in public healthcare delivery for the community, by monitoring the health status of the population.  This collaboration represents the next important step in bringing the best of the world’s technologies to create a healthier future for the people of Abu Dhabi.
Capitalizing on both local expertise and in partnership with a number of key international healthcare and technology providers, HAAD and Etisalat will create a number of pioneering interventions focused on tackling the most pressing health issues on the ground.  Dr Oliver Harrison, HAAD Director Public Health and Policy said, ‘Working with Etisalat gives us access to cutting-edge mHealth and eHealth technology and a suite of international partners.  For our part, HAAD has a number of collaborations with international bodies all of whom are keen to see how the processes in Abu Dhabi can be used as examples of global best practice.’
According to HAAD statistics Report for 2010, The Emirate has high rates of chronic diseases related to life style such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Cardiovascular diseases accounted for over a quarter of deaths in 2010.
Adult Nationals were screened for cardiovascular risk factors in 2008 as a condition for enrollment in Thiqa insurance. Early analysis of results of this screening showed obesity rates of 33{e1f18614b95d3cd6e4b3128e1cd15d99b042a60a5a19c19b7a8e07e7495efa10} for males and 38{e1f18614b95d3cd6e4b3128e1cd15d99b042a60a5a19c19b7a8e07e7495efa10} for females and high proportions of people at risk of diabetes and hypertension among UAE nationals over 15. Without major changes, these rates are set to increase further as the young population ages. Individuals thought to be at high risk of cardiovascular disease are being followed up.