UAE, January 11, 2016 – His Excellency (H.E.) Dr. Mohammad Salim Al Olama, Undersecretary, Ministry of Health (MoH) recently received a high profile delegation from the Republic of Malta. The two parties discussed strategies to strengthen bilateral relationships, especially pertaining to the health segment via enhancing the collaborations between the healthcare sectors of the two countries.

Also present at the meeting were H.E. Dr. Amin Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary for Public Policy and Licensing, H.E. Dr. Hussein Abdul Rahman Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for Health Centres and Clinics, Dr. Essa Al Mansouri, Director, International Relations, and Dr. Aisha Al Muttawa, Director of Strategic Management and Organizational Excellence.

The undersecretary, Dr. Al Olama, welcomed the delegates and expressed the Ministry’s eagerness to improve and reinforce bilateral relations, especially in the field of healthcare delivery and research. He recounted the accomplishments of the Ministry in the fields of disease prevention and control, application and development of latest technology in health care, and pharmaceutical research. He also addressed the recent initiatives by MoH like financing biomedical research and economics of health care service, which are on par with international standards and guidelines.

Both parties agreed on the significance of improved cooperation in health sector and expressed their commitment to implementing more efficient exchange of knowledge and expertise, by developing training opportunities and mutually hosting specialists and healthcare experts. The two parties also agreed to reciprocate participation in technical and scientific conferences in either countries.

The two parties reviewed the recent developments in health information and epidemiology systems, including communications, statistical methodologies, exchange of information and the quality of healthcare standards. They also explored the possibilities of exchange of scientific experts, facilitation of training to medical graduates, and graduate studies for healthcare students in Malta and UAE.

The delegation from the Republic of Malta expressed their appreciation and gratitude for the warm welcome accorded to them and lauded the achievements of the Ministry of Health. The delegation shared Malta’s experience as a key destination for medical tourism and implored UAE to increase their investments in this vital and developing sector, citing UAE’s successful investments the telecommunication sector in Malta.