Al Zahra Hospital welcomes over 700 paediatric medical professionals

24 Dubai based leading doctors presented 30 paediatric related medical topics over a two-day event, elevating paediatric care in the region.

Dubai's first Paediatric Symposium was organised by Al Zahra Hospital, Dubai that gathered over 700 medical professionals from paediatric related fields to share experiences, enhance knowledge and educate one another on the latest innovative paediatric techniques, procedures and more.

The symposium was led by distinguished paediatrician, Dr Amr Elzawahry, head of paediatrics at Al Zahra Hospital Dubai. Expert paediatricians from all over Dubai took part in presenting some of the latest paediatric advances through interdisciplinary evidence and case-based strategies. The Paediatric Symposium brought together over 25 paediatricians from seven leading healthcare providers, to present more than 30 interesting topics in Paediatrics including cardiology, allergies and pulmonology, paediatric surgery, genetics, neonatology, critical care, nephrology and endocrinology, gastroenterology, paediatric orthopaedic surgery and more.

Dr Elzawahry said: “Medical professionals in all fields need to regularly update their medical skills through continuous education in order to provide the best level of care to their patients. We are proud to have been able to support over 600 doctors from paediatric related fields to enhance their knowledge. At Al Zahra Hospital,Dubai we see over 4000 paediatric patients every month, with the number consistently on the rise. We pride ourselves in staying abreast of medical developments and sharing those with the medical community in the UAE and across the region."

According to the latest statistics (2019), Dubai is the birth-place of over 30,000 babies over 12 months. This is a high birthing rate given the female population compared to other western countries, amplifying the importance of paediatric care in Dubai. The continuous increase in child population, places high importance on providing not just general but also highly sub-specialised paediatric services, aligning with Dubai’s vision of building a healthier and happier community for generations to come.

Dr Fadi Iskandarani, consultant paediatric surgeon at Al Zahra Hospital, said: "Paediatric surgery is a service that is not widely available and for which we have seen rising need in the UAE. In the past, parents would travel abroad to receive surgical care for their children. Currently, we see patients coming from across the region to Dubai, seeking paediatric surgical care, for not just common but also rare and complex procedures."

Dr Zaid Al-Aubaidi, consultant orthopaedic and spine surgeon for children has carried out over 1,200 scoliosis surgeries in his career, offering not just advanced complex surgical solutions but also pioneering several surgical advancements for children suffering of scoliosis and other congenital orthopaedic malformations.

“Paediatric orthopaedic surgery is an area that is rare and highly specialised. There are numerous effective procedures that are performed in the UAE that are not commonly carried out worldwide, leading to amazing outcomes in improving the quality of life of our patients. As practitioners, it is important that we are aware of the latest innovations to provide the best practices in paediatric healthcare. We are proud to have been able to do this with over 600 medical professionals over the last two days," Al-Aubaidi added.

The Dubai Paediatric Symposium is due to take place every year and furthermore expand its borders across the Middle East continuing to enhance and elevate medical knowledge in the paediatric field.