19 February, 2016 - On behalf of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Chairperson of Dubai Healthcare City Authority HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, wife of HH Sheikh Mohammed, today inaugurated Mediclinic City Hospital’s new Comprehensive Cancer Centre (CCC), Dubai’s most advanced facility for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. 

As part of the inauguration, HRH Princess Haya toured the Centre alongside Ms. Maya Tissafi, Ambassador of Switzerland to the UAE, David Hadley, CEO of Mediclinic Middle East, Dr. Tarek Fathey, COO, Ahmed Ali, Executive Director and Christian Schuhmacher, Director of Mediclinic City Hospital. Also in attendance were H.E. Dr. Raja Easa Al Gurg Deputy Chairperson of the Board of Directors, DHCA, Mr. Khalid Al Shamsi, Representative of the Chairperson of DHCA, Dr. Amer Al Zarooni, CEO DHCM, Dr. Ramadan Al Balooshi, CEO DHCR, Mr. Bader Hareb, CEO DHCC, Dr. Alawi Alsheikh Ali, Dean of College of Medicine – MBRU, Professor Sehamuddin Galadari, Al Jalila Foundation, Professor Mutairu Ezimokhai, Provost MBRU of Medicine and Health Sciences.

During the tour, HRH Princess Haya visited the Radiotherapy department which is equipped with the UAE’s first TrueBeam linear accelerator for radiation therapy, offering oncology patients the very latest in treatment technology. She also viewed the Centre’s diagnostic capabilities in the Nuclear Medicine department including its PET and equipment. 

HRH Princess Haya also took the time to visit a paediatric and an adult patient, both of whom are currently receiving chemotherapy treatment at the Centre. Finally, she was introduced to the Centre’s Hospital Angels programme. This programme is a voluntary scheme; its mission is to empower individuals and the community to be engaged in the charitable act of caring for those most in need, and to contribute to improving the health of the nation in line with the direction from the leaders of the UAE. The Hospital Angels contribute to the initiative by adding a human touch to the clinical process of health care, enriching the technically advanced care provided by Mediclinic Middle East’s Comprehensive Cancer Centre, and providing comfort to oncology patients when they are at their most vulnerable.

HRH Princess Haya also spoke with the Dr. Shaheenah Dawood, Consultant Oncologist, about ongoing research for oncology studies and the recently awarded Jalila Foundation Research Centre that will enable further research in the field of oncology in the country.

Built in collaboration with Mediclinic Middle East’s sister platform in Switzerland, Hirslanden, patients at the CCC will benefit from the sharing of knowledge and experience between some of the leading oncology experts in Europe and the Middle East, as well as access to the very latest treatment programmes and technology, enabling patients to receive their diagnosis and treatment in the UAE without travelling overseas

Scope of service

The CCC is the first centre of its kind in Dubai to combine diagnostic procedures with the treatment modalities of surgery, medical oncology and radiation therapy. The range of services ensures the very highest levels of care for cancer patients. Services at the core of the CCC include:

• Medical Oncology (including chemotherapy, immunotherapy and endocrine therapy)
• Radiotherapy (with TrueBeam linear accelerator and CT Simulator)
• Surgical Oncology
• Radiology (breast cancer screening and diagnosis programme)
• Nuclear Medicine (diagnostic and therapeutic service including PET & SPECT CT, automated injector/FDG)
• Reference Laboratory
• Specialised pharmacy for chemotherapy
• Supportive Care (psychological support, physiotherapy, nutrition and Pain Clinic)

The CCC treats all types of adult and paediatric cancers using a multidisciplinary approach to cancer care and, in accordance with international guidelines, has established a tumour board of various medical disciplines, including surgeons, oncologists, radiotherapists, specialist doctors and general practitioners, to decide a personalised course of treatment for each patient, with the greatest chance of success.  

Infrastructure

The CCC is housed in Mediclinic City Hospital’s newly constructed North Wing extension, located directly opposite to the hospital next to Dubai Healthcare City metro station (Green line). Facilities include:

• Eight consultation rooms
• Two bunkers for Linacs
• 11 cubicles for chemotherapy
• Radiology facility
• Nuclear Medicine facility
• MTD room with modern videoconferencing for tumour board meetings

State-of-the-art, cutting-edge technology

The CCC is equipped with a TrueBeam linear accelerator for radiation therapy. It is the first in the UAE, offering the newest treatment technology of flattening filter free energy, and the only Varian 13.7 version in the MENA region. The TrueBeam is commissioned and ready to treat patients using the latest cutting-edge technology modalities for malignant and benign tumours: 

• Conformal radiotherapy - CRT
• Intensity-modulated radiotherapy - IMRT 
• Volumetric modulated arc therapy - VMAT 
• RAPID Arc technology 
• Stereotactic radio surgery - SRS
• Stereotactic body radiotherapy - SBRT
• Respiratory gating technology – RPM

The TrueBeam data is matched to that at Hirslanden in Switzerland, Mediclinic Middle East’s sister platform and partner in the CCC project, as well as international published data and Varian standard data with a variation of less than 0.5 per cent. This technology matching means that it is possible for a patient to be treated at both the CCC at Mediclinic City Hospital in Dubai, or at Hirslanden in Switzerland, without the need for dose recalculations.

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