Qatar is staking its claim to being the hub for quality medical research, health care training, clinical practice at the Arab Health exhibition which opens in Dubai today. With the theme ‘Leading the Change,’ a consortium of medical and educational institutions and organisations from Qatar headed by the Ministry of Health is mounting the biggest pavilion at Arab Health. With a floor area in excess of 390 square metres, the Qatar pavilion — based on the double helix of DNA — is one of the biggest stands at the show. “Qatar is investing in future generations and inspiring generations of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and health scientists,” said Abdul Razak Al Kubaisi, Assistant Managing Director Administration and Finance, Hamad Medical Corporation. The groundbreaking Qatari initiatives include the Sidra Medical and Research Center. With a $7.9bn endowment, Sidra with Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar will form the first academic medical centre of its kind in the region for clinical care, medical education and biomedical research. Other developments in Qatar include a bio-medical research programme and a major regional breakthrough in robotic surgery. The Hamad Medical Corporation, Aspetar, Qatar University, University of Calgary Qatar, College of the North Atlantic Qatar, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Qatar Science and Technology Park and Qatar Diabetes Association are representing Qatar in the expo. The institutions will explain their contribution to Qatar’s leading the change strategy. “Qatar aims to build a Knowledge Based Economy for the long term and education and healthcare are key pillars in that objective,” said Al Kubaisi. “The Qatar pavilion will be presenting our vision of the country as a hub for education, research and healthcare,” said Michael Vertigans, Director of Public Affairs at Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar. “Arab Health is the best platform to communicate these intentions as it is one of the largest events of its kind in this sector in the world. http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=January2009&file=Local_News2009012651147.xml

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