On being asked about the unique name, Federica Mazza, Creative Director at LEMUDA, explains “The name LEMUDA is a new word which is created by mixing the word ’Fashion’ from Arabic -which is ’Moudah’- and words for fashion in Italian ’La Moda’ and French ’Le Mode’. We decided our name as ’LeMuda’ – which gives a good combination of Euro–Arab tone for our site as these are also the locations where we have started our operations for this site.”

With operations from the fashion capital, Milan and in Dubai, this fashionable online shopping website, with a multi-lingual Arabic and English interface understands the region’s thirst for new international brands. Fashion-savvy shoppers can buy their favorite products on LEMUDA through the two available channels; catalog & special sales. The online LEMUDA catalog features end of season premium brands for women at approximately 50% off the retail price. The time-limited special sales last for 3-4 days and offer highly discounted men’s and women’s clothing, children’s wear and toys, home décor, beauty and travel products from several other top brands up to 80% off. Thus, unlike any other online player in the sector, LEMUDA.COM offers a new format, allowing customers to match designer fashion accessories’ featured in their online catalogue with complementary products highly discounted from the special sales.

“We believe that every woman needs to discover and highlight her unique style. LEMUDA brings the ultimate fashion trends to your door and allows you to make these trends uniquely yours without spending a fortune. We also understand that this region is still wary of online shopping. Therefore, we assure all our customers that we have taken all precautions and made our site a completely safe to shop retail environment and also guarantee all our products to be genuine from its source and in original packaging”, said Federica Mazza. With the Versign Trusted seal on each of its web pages and efficient delivery of its products to the entire GCC, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria & Turkey, LEMUDA definitely has a strong focus on delivering an outstanding customer experience.

In addition to unmatched prices and big names to boast about, what sets LEMUDA apart is their on-call stylist who can help you with handy style tips and in matching clothing with the perfect accessory from the LEMUDA catalog for every occasion. This special styling service is extended to the LEMUDA lady customers to offer them a unique experience.

“We want to project LEMUDA as not just another shopping website but one which provides additional benefits like style hints and advice just like a fashion magazine, but with a personalized service for our customers” says LEMUDA’s creative director. “We are also keen to help users to create their personal style by mixing and matching our high-end accessories with their existing clothes or other easy-to-wear brands. We look to build an interactive community with our customers who can take part, expressing their opinion on our outfit style proposals and sharing their own outfit picks.”

Dr Mussaad Al-Razouki , CEO at Kleos Healthcare Corporation in Kuwait, will take part in a plenary session to discuss how higher healthcare costs in the Middle East will affect patient visits to clinics at the upcoming Leaders in Health Conference in Dubai. This topic will be discussed as part of a wider conference programme taking place during the 4th Hospital Build & Infrastructure Middle East Exhibition & Congress from 4-6 June 2012.

According to Dr. Al-Razouki, “As Middle East governments pursue ways in which to increase the welfare and citizen’s access to enhanced quality of life measures, increased spending on healthcare is a top priority. The Kuwaiti Ministry of Health recently announced a record budget of US$4 bn for FY 2012-13, which represents a 100% increase from the US$2 bn budget of FY 2007-8 five years ago; this spending accounts for over 80% of the healthcare spending in the country. In Saudi Arabia, the GCC’s largest health care market, the total Saudi healthcare budget (including government and private investment) comes to about US$21.3 bn for the FY 2012-13. In 2007, McKinsey and Co. calculated the GCC’s expenditure on healthcare to reach a total of $60 billion by 2025; this, however, seems a great underestimation looking at how both the Kuwaiti and Saudi healthcare budgets are increasing.”

Indeed, GCC governments continue to build costly cathedrals of care such as the island hospital of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and the Sidra Medical Research Center in Qatar. While tertiary centers of excellence with a focus on research are greatly needed in the Middle East, a strong focus also needs to be placed on prevention that reduces the need for hefty investments in healthcare infrastructure. Another large proponent of these exponential MoH budget increases is the increasing dependency on overseas healthcare spending by GCC governments.

“In fact, the generosity of most GCC government’s extends beyond the healthcare of their citizens. Using Kuwait again as example, expatriates are only required to pay a very low yearly assurance premium of US$70 to 180 which pales in comparison to the US$1000-1200 annual cost of their care to the Government of Kuwait. Similar examples can be seen across the GCC, where both nationals and expatriates enjoy significantly subsidised specialty care,” says Dr. Al-Razouki.

Dr. Al-Razouki attributed the underlying issue behind these increase in healthcare costs to the unhealthy lifestyle most people in the Middle East choose to live. He also emphasises the link between obesity and diabetes type II as it is estimated that these chronically ill diabetes type II patients are four times more likely to be hospitalised, a further cost burden on GCC health budgets.

However, there are reassuring programs across the GCC to help reduce healthcare costs. Certain clinical centers of excellence in Saudi Arabia are piloting an interesting initiative whereby physicians are actually made aware of the costs of procedures and prescriptions before prescribing their treatment to their patients through a computerised physician order entry (CPOE) system that prints out the associated cost of the procedure or prescription.

“This has a dual effect,” explains Dr. Al-Razouki. “Firstly, physicians are less likely to prescribe useless tests and psychological placebo medications, thereby reducing the cost burden on their respective department and secondly, patients who do not even pay a simple co-payment and are used to receiving both the treatment and prescription for free, are made aware of the ‘value’ of the service the Saudi government is providing them. This is an important segue to more accountable care models; other GCC governments should take note.”

Hospital Build & Infrastructure Middle East is the fastest-growing, global business-to-business platform dedicated to bringing together investors, commissioners, backers and managers of healthcare-related building projects with key players in planning, design, construction, operations, management, supply and refurbishment. As investment in the region’s healthcare infrastructure continues to rise, the 2012 event is set to be bigger than ever with more than 130 exhibitors covering 5,000sqm of exhibition floor space, an estimated 4,500 visitors, as well as more than 600 conference delegates.

For more information about the Leaders in Healthcare Conference at Hospital Build 2012, please call +971 (0)4 4072 743 or visit www.hospitalbuild-me.com.

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Note to Editors

About Informa Life Sciences:
For more information, please visit www.informalifesciences.com.

About Kleos Healthcare Corporation:
For more information, please visit www.kleoshealth.com.

For media enquiries please contact:
Inga Stevens
PR & Social Media Manager
Informa Life Sciences
T: +971 4 407 2743
F: +971 4 336 4021
inga.stevens@informa.com

Dr. Khaldoon Walid Nabhan from the Legal Affairs Department of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), UAE, will discuss Medical Errors & Liability Law in the UAE at the upcoming Surgery Management Conference in Dubai. This topic will be discussed as part of a wider conference programme taking place during the 4th Hospital Build & Infrastructure Middle East Exhibition & Congress from 4-6 June 2012.

According to Dr. Nabhan, “Medical responsibility is influenced by the scientific progress, but it is also significantly influenced by sociological and psychological factors that often are more difficult to analyse. While medical staff and physicians are the ones likely to be held liable when it comes to faulty medical action, it is the patient themselves who could incur physical, financial or moral damage as a result of a medical mistake. For example, the damage could be the result of incorrect indications given by a pharmacist regarding the use of a drug, or that the damage is incurred by the patient themselves through the non-commitment or non implementation of the correct medical indications.”

The last few years have seen massive investment and expansion in the healthcare industry in the UAE, as is evident from the construction and licensing of various specialised hospitals, clinics, universities and especially the free zones. This growth has been characterised by the increased role of international healthcare service providers, with the result that increased numbers of international insurers and reinsurers are being exposed to medical malpractice risks in the UAE.

“Medical responsibility in the UAE was formerly defined and governed according to Law 7 of 1975 for the practice of medical professions, which had been a part of civil law,” says Dr. Nabhan. “The passing of Law 10 of 2008, namely the “Law on Medical Responsibility in UAE Nr (10) of 2008 “, created a new framework to deal with this issue. One of its provisions required medical practitioners to hold insurance policies, so that insurance companies pays damages to the plaintiff (patient) is injured as a result of a physicians’ negligence. A basic knowledge of the law is required to avoid pitfalls and to safeguard oneself against errors arising from ignorance of the duties and rights of the professional person.”

The Medical Liability Law in the UAE sets out principles to assist in determining whether a practitioner’s conduct amounts to malpractice, negligence or paying insufficient effort creates a framework for medical regulations.

“Should the criminal liability on the part of the physician be established, appropriate punishment should be inflicted,” says Dr. Nabhan. “The new Medical Liability Law imposes several penalties including imprisonment for periods ranging from three months to 10 years and fines ranging from 100,000 to 500,000 dirhams. For example, penalties may be inflicted on a person if they put an end to the life of a patient for whatever reason, undertake human cloning operations, conduct medical research or experiments on humans without license from the competent authorities, implant artificial organs in the patient’s body unless proved suitable, perform Assisted Reproductive Technology or implantation of embryo in the uterus of a woman unless the sperm and egg are taken from a married couple, and perform any operation or intervention to cause female sterilization unless the pregnancy and delivery constitute certain danger to the woman’s life.”

Hospital Build & Infrastructure Middle East is the fastest-growing, global business-to-business platform dedicated to bringing together investors, commissioners, backers and managers of healthcare-related building projects with key players in planning, design, construction, operations, management, supply and refurbishment. As investment in the region’s healthcare infrastructure continues to rise, the 2012 event is set to be bigger than ever with more than 130 exhibitors covering 5,000sqm of exhibition floor space, an estimated 4,500 visitors, as well as more than 600 conference delegates.

For more information about the Surgery Management Conference at Hospital Build 2012, please call +971 (0)4 4072 743 or visit www.hospitalbuild-me.com.

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Note to Editors

About Informa Life Sciences:
For more information, please visit www.informalifesciences.com.

About DHA:
For more information, please visit www.dha.gov.ae.

For media enquiries please contact:
Inga Stevens
PR & Social Media Manager
Informa Life Sciences
T: +971 4 407 2743
F: +971 4 336 4021
inga.stevens@informa.com

For this new awards category, so far more than 25 nominations have been sent in for the consideration of the Hospital Build Awards judging panel. Nominations can be submitted via the website (www.hospitalbuild-me.com) and will close on 3 May 2012.

The Awards also covers six other categories that have received more than 185 nominations, including Best Hospital Design (Built or Future), Best Physical Environment (Built), Best Sustainable Hospital Project, Best Healing Environment, Best Technology Initiative Award and another new category, Best Initiative to Improve the Design Standard of Healthcare Facilities.

The Hospital Build Awards 2012 will recognise leaders in the healthcare industry who have devoted their efforts to building hospitals that help improve healthcare services and raise the bar in providing world-class patient care. They will act as a platform to promote the professionals who have worked hard to achieve a hospital environment that enables and promotes a healthy life.

The Hospital Build Awards winners will be announced on the 4th June at the Hospital Build & Infrastructure Middle East Exhibition and Congress 2012, which will run from 4-6 June 2012, at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The new M+Health Award looks at providers in the Middle East region working to build capacity and implement mobile health (mHealth) solutions that address the global healthcare challenges. mHealth is set to be a booming industry within the healthcare industry especially in the Middle East. Middle Eastern governments are spending vast amounts of money on the construction of healthcare facilities, and these facilities – designed and developed using the latest specifications, designs and IT infrastructure protocols – are ready to adopt mHealth to increase patient care, patient experience and reduce costs.

“With the advancement of technology such as smart phones, computing clouds, voice recognition software, to just name a few, it is only logical to see the market advancement of mHealth solutions,” says Steven A. Matarelli, Chief Operating Office, Administration, Tawam Hospital, Al Ain and member of the Hospital Build Awards judging panel. “Superior healthcare delivery is fundamentally based on information, timing, decision-making, and consumer involvement. Solutions in the arena of mHealth products provide real time experiences that enhance these fundamentals to a great extent.

“Transmission of bio-physiological parameters to care providers in a variety of formats provides access to vital information without the need for actual face-to-face interactivity. This saves time, enhances patient responsibility for their own healthcare, and provides clinicians with information outside the more traditional modes of information gathering. I firmly believe these solutions are gateways to more efficient care delivery, safer patient experiences, and enhanced patient self-efficacy. Above all, eHealth solutions provide access while “on-the-go”, and that is lock-step with our modern lives.”

Simon Page, Managing Director, Informa Life Sciences, the organiser of Hospital Build & Infrastructure Middle East 2012, says: “Research has indicated that the annual consumer market for mobile monitoring devices is projected to increase in 2011 from US$7.7 billion to US$43 billion. Currently, 94% of physicians are using mobile health consulting apps while on the job and 63% of physicians are using personal devices for mobile health solutions that aren’t connected to their practice . The new m+Health Award is in recognition of the importance of this emerging technology in healthcare in the Middle East.”

As investment in the region’s healthcare infrastructure continues to rise, Hospital Build Middle East 2012 is set to be bigger than ever with more than 130 exhibitors covering 5,000sqm of exhibition floor space, an estimated 4,500 visitors, as well as more than 600 conference delegates. Running alongside the exhibition is a multi-disciplinary congress consisting of eight leading conferences that will focus on delivering up-to-date information which will address all the disciplines involved with the hospital build process. New for this year is the inaugural Architect’s Congress.

For more information about 2012 Hospital Build Awards, please call +971 (0)4 4072 743 or visit www.hospitalbuild-me.com.

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Photo caption: Winners of 2011 Hospital Build Awards

Note to Editors

About Informa Life Sciences:
For more information, please visit www.informalifesciences.com.

About Tawam Hospital:
For more information, please visit www.tawamhospital.ae.

For media enquiries please contact:
Inga Stevens
PR & Social Media Manager
Informa Life Sciences
T: +971 4 407 2743
F: +971 4 336 4021
inga.stevens@informa.com

The Otolaryngology Conference is produced by Informa Exhibitions and accredited by the Cleveland Clinic. Supported by the UAE Ministry of Health and the Dubai Health Authority, this event is sponsored by Karl Storz, Medtronic, GSK and MSD, and will host more than 120 internally renowned speakers and 600 healthcare professionals who will focus on the most recent advances in ENT disorders such as chronic sinusitis, paediatric otolaryngology, head and neck cancer, cochlear implants and laryngology. The event continues on 23-24 April at the Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai.

At this morning’s Awards ceremony, the Karl Storz Award for Excellence in Teaching was presented to Nabeel Fuleihan from Beirut, Lebanon. The award honours the person who has contributed significantly to the education of ENT physicians in the Middle East.

The “Ingeborg and Erwin Hochmair” Award for Service to the Deaf was established in association with MED-EL and, bearing the names of its cofounders, the award honours programmes and physicians who devoted much of their life to the care of the hearing impaired in the Middle East. This award was presented to Dr. Abdulrahman Al Hagr from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The most significant award of the day was the Arab Health Personal and Professional Achievement Award established in association with Arab Health. The Award honours otolaryngologists who have exemplified through their personal life and professional careers deep commitment to the culture and values of the different communities in the Middle East along with determination to further scientific, medical and general development in the region. This year’s Award went to Prof. Akram Hajjar from Damascus, Syria.

The Otolaryngology Exhibition showcases the latest technologies and product launches from manufacturers and distributors from the ENT world. This year, Cochlear Ltd, the biggest manufacturer of implantable hearing solutions in the world, has launched its new Arabic-language website at the symposium.

“In a user-friendly, modern website structure, interested parties and parents of children born deaf in all Arabic countries can now easily find their way to a wealth of information about hearing and hearing deficiencies as well as about Cochlear’s hearing solutions and their field of application.” says Mr Frank Koall, Head of Distributor Operations and Turkey, Cochlear AG, Basel, Switzerland. “The Middle East is one of our most important markets; we have good contacts and relationships to key opinion leaders in this area and hope to deepen the collaboration with them and their clinics at OTO 2012.”

Also exhibiting at OTO 2012 are Leader Healthcare, a UAE-based medical equipment marketing and services company, who are showcasing the brand Spiggle & Theis, which has developed a new method for treating Obstructive Eustachian Tube Dysfunction.

According to Shabnam Ansari, Head of Marketing, Leader Healthcare, “So far, the condition has been managed but not treated. The revolutionary procedure is called Balloon Dilation Eustachian Tuboplasty and the method involves a balloon dilatation with a set of especially designed instruments. The procedure is easy, quiet and can be performed with minimal trauma to the patient. Leader Healthcare believes that OTO 2012 is the right platform to launch new and exciting products each year. The event sees participation from luminaries in the field each year, making it a satisfying and successful launch pad for our products.”

The Otolaryngology Conference and Exhibition is open to all trade visitors and healthcare professionals and will continue on 23 & 24 April, from 10am and 6pm. For further information on attending the event, please call +971 (0)4 336 7334 or visit www.me-oto.com.

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Note to Editors

About Informa Exhibitions:
For more information, please visit www.informaexhibitions.com.

About Cochlear Ltd:
For more information, please visit www.cochlear.com.

About Leader Healthcare:
For more information, please visit www.leaderhealthcare.ae.

For media enquiries please contact:
Inga Stevens
PR and Social Media Manager
Life Science Division
Informa Exhibitions
T: +971 4 407 2743
inga.stevens@informa.com

More than 120 experts at the 9th Middle East Update in Otolaryngology Conference & Exhibition (Head and Neck Surgery) taking place on 22-24 April 2012 at the Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai will be discussing the prevalence of hearing impairment and deafness among the Arab populations and assessing the treatment options available for hearing loss, such as Cochlear Implantation.

According to Dr. Susan Waltzman, Co-Director of the NYU Cochlear Implant Center, NYU School of Medicine, NYU Langone Medical Centre, USA, and speakers at the Otolaryngology Conference & Exhibition, the Cochlear Implant is a modern medical marvel: “The majority of adult implant recipients can hear well enough to understand varying degrees of speech, talk on the telephone, be productive professionally, enjoy social interactions and, with some recent developments, even appreciate music. For children who receive cochlear implants at a young age, the auditory and language development benefits can lead to oral communication, language skills often on par with normal hearing peers, attendance in mainstream schools and good self-esteem and social interactions. While it is important to note that about 50% of children born with hearing loss often have additional disabilities, receiving a cochlear implant enables them to achieve their potential.”

Cochlear implant surgery is becoming more common in the region and is being offered in major government and private hospitals. For example, the American Hospital Dubai is one of the centres of excellence offering audiological, speech and language support, both in English and Arabic.

Not all cases of hearing impairment are treated with Cochlear Implantation as how hearing impairment is treated depends on the underlying cause of the condition. As Dr. Waltzman explains, there are two types of hearing impairment: conductive hearing loss and sensorineural hearing loss, and some people have a combination of the two.

“Conductive hearing loss is caused by dysfunction of the apparatus that transmits sound from the outer ear to the inner ear. Sounds become fainter, as if the ear’s volume has been lowered. These conditions can typically be treated medically or corrected surgically. Hearing aids which amplify sound reaching the inner ear can also help. Sensorineural hearing loss usually stems from damage to the snail-shaped cochlea in the inner ear, particularly its hair cells. Hearing aids can offer benefit to people with mild-to-moderate hearing loss of this type; however, for those with severe-to-profound hearing loss, the best remedy is cochlear implantation,” says Dr. Waltzman.

The Otolaryngology Conference & Exhibition is sponsored by Karl Storz, GSK, Medtronic, MSD, American Hospital Dubai and Amico and will feature 40 exhibiting companies showcasing a range of ENT services and products from the Middle East.

For more information on the Otolaryngology Conference & Exhibition, please call +971 4 407 2743 or visit www.me-oto.com.

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Note to Editors

About Informa Exhibitions:
For more information, please visit www.informaexhibitions.com.

About NYU Langone Medical Centre:
For more information, please visit www.med.nyu.edu.

For media enquiries please contact:
Inga Stevens
PR and Social Media Manager
Life Science Division
Informa Exhibitions
T: +971 4 407 2743
inga.stevens@informa.com

Philips AVENT is committed to increasing breastfeeding rates by promoting and supporting optimal breastfeeding practices with the ultimate goal of improving infant and mother’s health. This is why Philips AVENT continues to invest heavily in creating dialog between gynaecologists, midwives, breastfeeding advisors, nursing professionals, neonatologists and paediatricians in order to support mothers’ best choices.

“Philips AVENT is delighted that our products are loved by both mums and babies across the globe. However, we are about more than just products. We are a promise and commitment to mothers all over the world who depend and rely on our expert advice to help reassure and support mothers’ best choices, from pregnancy to playground. The mission of the Breastfeeding & Child Nutrition Conference is to allow mum’s to make an informed choice when it comes to infant or child nutrition so that they can give their children the best possible start in life,” says Caroline Rainsford, marketing director of Philips Consumer Lifestyle, Middle East and Africa.

Philips AVENT are conducting two forums, one in Abu Dhabi at the Beach Rotana Hotel on 28th May 2012 and one in Dubai at its new venue at the Habtoor Grand Hotel on the 30th May 2012.

During the morning session, mums and ‘mums-to-be’ will be participating in breastfeeding and weaning educational classes. These classes will be run by a midwife educator and experts in the fields of Paediatrics, Infantology and nutrition, and will help mothers to overcome any challenges or fears they may have with regards to breastfeeding and weaning. New for this year will be a ‘Meet the Midwife’ initiative where mums and ‘mums-to-be’ will be able to have one-on-one conversations with midwives about any concerns they may have with regards to breastfeeding or child nutrition.

“My advice to new mothers is that they should breastfeed because they believe in the benefits and want to, not because society says they should. Learning to understand your baby is the key to success in breastfeeding and watching them for signs of contentment, will let you know how well you are doing,” says Cecile de Scally , who is a Midwife Educator with more than 15 years experience in antenatal and postnatal support and education, and longstanding speaker at the Philips AVENT conference.

The session for mums and ‘mothers to be’ will start at 8.30am with morning coffee and a complimentary refreshment break will be hosted by Philips AVENT mid-morning. There will also be a crèche and a private breast feeding area.

The afternoon session is aimed at Healthcare Professionals and will start at 1pm with coffee and refreshments followed by presentations on the latest research and developments in breastfeeding and nutrition from across the world.

The chair of the afternoon session will be Dr Mohamad Miqdady who is the Director of Nutrition Services at the Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in Abu Dhabi. Also speaking will be Dr Wail A. Hayajneh who is the Chairman and Associate Professor of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the Jordan University of Science and Technology in Irbid, Jordan. Dr. Hayajneh has been published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, including recent papers in BMC Research Notes, the Journal of Medical Virology, Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition and Vaccine.

Topics to be discussed include the role of micro-nutrients, the role of globalization and vaccines, as well as a panel session where the audience can ask questions with regards to infant nutrition and local breastfeeding practices.

For more information about attending the ‘free-of-charge’ Philips AVENT Breastfeeding & Child Nutrition Conference please visit www.motherbaby.ae.

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Note to Editors

About Philips AVENT:
For more information about Philips AVENT, please visit www.avent.com.

About Royal Philips Electronics
Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) is a diversified health and well-being company, focused on improving people’s lives through timely innovations. As a world leader in healthcare, lifestyle and lighting, Philips integrates technologies and design into people-centric solutions, based on fundamental customer insights and the brand promise of “sense and simplicity.” Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips employs about 117,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries worldwide. With sales of EUR 22.3 billion in 2010, the company is a market leader in cardiac care, acute care and home healthcare, energy efficient lighting solutions and new lighting applications, as well as lifestyle products for personal well-being and pleasure with strong leadership positions in male shaving and grooming, portable entertainment and oral healthcare. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter.

For media enquiries please contact:
Inga Stevens
PR & Social Media Manager
Life Science Division
Informa Exhibitions
T: +971 4 407 2743
F: +971 4 336 4021
inga.stevens@informa.com

The Obs-Gyne Exhibition & Congress 2012, organised by Informa Exhibitions in association with Arab Association of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Societies’ (AAOGS), is a platform dedicated to the scientific debate of women’s health in the Middle East. Taking place at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre, the event will continue tomorrow (3 April) with more than 800 industry professionals returning for another day of lectures on the latest practices in midwifery, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, women’s healthcare and breast cancer.

According to Dr. Humeira Badsha, Consultant Rheumatologist, Al Biraa Arthritis and Bone Clinic in Dubai, and Advisory Board Member of the Women’s Health Programme at Obs-Gyne 2012, cardiovascular disease, for example, is now known to be a major cause of death among women.

“The problem is that this is not well recognised leading to delays in treatment-seeking and diagnosis among women. The identification of gender differences in cardiovascular disease has made it possible to develop more effective health promotion and prevention strategies that have improved women’s health in many countries,” she says.

At the symposium, stroke and lung disease were also discussed as a major cause of death for women all over the world.

“About nine million women have a stroke each year and three million of these die as a consequence. High blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol are the main factors contributing to stroke. Although in this part of the world, women smoke less than their western counterparts, testing and controlling high blood pressure is the only way to prevent this killer disease,” Dr. Badsha explains.

Hundreds of millions of women worldwide are affected by chronic lung diseases such as COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases), asthma and bronchitis with more than three million people worldwide dying from COPD alone. “COPD and asthma are the most common lung diseases in the region although the exact prevalence is unknown, it is under-recognized and the rates are rising,” says Dr. Badsha.

Cervical cancer was once again a hot topic at the Obs-Gyne Congress. According to Dr. Saad Ghazal-Aswad, Chief Gynecology-Oncology Division at Tawam Hospital in Al Ain, although there is no up-to-date, accurate data on cervical cancer in the Gulf region, Globacan 2008 (international agency for research on cancer) puts cervical cancer as the second most common cancer in the female after breast cancer in most of the countries in the Gulf region.

“Screening for cervical cancer by regular ‘Pap smear’ has resulted in significant reduction in cervical cancer incidence in developed countries. It is advisable to have a regular Pap smear every 1-3 years and many authorities advise that this should start at the age of 25,” confirms Dr. Aswad.

This year, the Obs-Gyne Exhibition features the latest products and technologies from 52 exhibitors from 20 countries. Global medical companies such as Siemens share in the doctors concern for early detection for women’s diseases such as breast cancer.

Maurice Faber, Vice President of Siemens Healthcare, Lower Gulf said: “Breast cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed life-threatening cancers in women in the UAE. Through early detection and diagnosis, deaths from breast cancer were reduced by approximately 24% since 1992 while about one-third of the cancer burden could be decreased. Early detection saves lives, and it is our goal as a technology partner to enable our customers to provide the best solutions for early diagnosis.”

GE Healthcare is on-hand for the second year to showcase their latest technology in the field of women’s health.
“The Obs-Gyne Exhibition & Congress is a key industry platform that brings together healthcare professionals in this specialised medical practice as well as the leading healthcare providers in the region. For GE Healthcare, it offers an ideal opportunity to showcase the latest technologies in our portfolio of ultrasound systems, which have a key role to drive operational efficiencies in obstetrics and gynaecology,” says Hisham Youssef, General Manager for Ultrasound at GE Healthcare in the EAGM region.

For more information on Obs-Gyne Exhibition & Congress, please call +971 4 407 2743 or visit www.obs-gyne.com.

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Note to Editors

About Informa Exhibitions:
For more information, please visit www.informaexhibitions.com.

About AAOGS:
For more information, please visit www.arabog.org.

For media enquiries please contact:
Inga Stevens
PR and Social Media Manager
Life Science Division
Informa Exhibitions
T: +971 4 407 2743
inga.stevens@informa.com

According to Dr. Richard Reyes, Consultant Breast and General Surgeon, and Chair of the Breast Cancer Conference: “In developed countries, the increasing rates of obesity, hormone usage (e.g. HRT) and gene pool damage all going to contribute to the increase in cases of breast cancer. In developing countries, such as the UAE, improvements in reporting breast cancer cases may contribute to the increasing figures. The mortality is decreasing as screening programmes are finding breast cancer earlier and treatments are improving. Also, breast cancers in older women tend to be less aggressive and so, as the world’s population ages, more of these milder cancers are emerging.”

The lack of accurate figures for breast cancer rates in the UAE is a great problem. “There is no really robust system for recording cancer incidence in the UAE, although lots of people are trying to do this and the number of women who die is an even more difficult thing to measure,” says Dr. Reyes. “Some of the problems with trying to gather this kind of data are that women often see unspecialised doctors who do not report the cancers, and women often move back to their country of origin so they are lost to follow-up.”

Every woman should have a breast cancer risk assessment and calculation performed by an experienced surgeon as experts says that it is possible to reduce the risk once you have been identified to be at high risk.

“Older women are at higher risk as breast cancer is stimulated by the female hormone estrogen,” explains Dr. Reyes. “Other things that will increase your baseline risk of sporadic cancers include being taller, being overweight, a lack of exercise, drinking alcohol and smoking. Genetics is another major risk factor as everyone carries the breast cancer genes BRCA1 and BRCA2. However if your BRCA genes are damaged – and you carry a mutation which causes breast cancer on one of your genes – then you will have a very high risk for developing breast cancer over your lifetime.”

“Studies have shown that ultrasound is very poor at screening and may miss as many as 70% of cancers of the breast. There is still a lot of debate as to whether MRI is useful. It might be in younger high risk women but it has to be interpreted with real caution. The technology that will revolutionise breast screening in the future is a PET scanner for the breast called MammiPET – made by Oncovision. This scanner has the ability to pick up cancers which are 1.4mm in size, something no other technology can do,” says Dr. Reyes.

The Obs-Gyne Exhibition & Congress, organised by Informa Exhibitions in association with Arab Association of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Societies’ (AAOGS), will continue on 2-3 April 2012 at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre. Other parallel conferences include Midwifery, Women’s Health and Obstetrics & Gynaecology, with more than 100 international and regional experts sharing their expertise with 1,500 industry professionals.

This year, the exhibition features the latest products and technologies from 52 exhibitors from 20 countries, including a number of product launches. The Pan-European prize-winning Relaxbirth birthing system was launched to the Middle East audience for the first time at the Obs-Gyne Exhibition.

“The Middle East, as a potential market for our product and services, is of great importance to our company which is why it has been selected as the first region outside our European home market to launch the Relaxbirth innovation,” says Ms. Eija Pessinen, the inventor of Relaxbirth.

Also exhibiting at the Obs-Gyne Exhibition is Breast Cancer Arabia, a UAE-based internet portal for any woman who wants breast cancer information and treatment. Run by Dr Richard Reyes, this website is free and contains in excess of 40 videos about breast cancer and its treatment.

For more information on Obs-Gyne Exhibition & Congress, please call +971 4 407 2743 or visit www.obs-gyne.com.

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Note to Editors

About Informa Exhibitions:
For more information, please visit www.informaexhibitions.com.

About AAOGS:
For more information, please visit www.arabog.org.

About Breast Cancer Arabia:
For more information, please visit www.breastcancerarabia.com.

For media enquiries please contact:
Inga Stevens
PR and Social Media Manager
Life Science Division
Informa Exhibitions
T: +971 4 407 2743
inga.stevens@informa.com

Experts at the upcoming Obs-Gyne Exhibition & Congress, taking place from the 1-3 April at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre, will discuss this issue of depression among women in the Middle East, as well as appropriate screening and treatment for methods for this health concern. For the second year, Informa Exhibitions is partnering with the Arab Association of Obstetrics & Gynaecology Societies (AAOGS) drawing more than 100 regional and international speakers from around the world.

According to Dr. Saliha Afridi, Clinical Psychologist and MD at The LightHouse Arabia, and speaker at the Obs-Gyne Exhibition & Congress, the ‘social stigma’ associated with going to see a mental health professional still acts as a strong deterrent for women seeking treatment for their emotional issues.

“The Arab and Asian world is very private with religion playing a strong mediating role in coping with mental health issues. For some, it is not considered to be acceptable to discuss family problems with an ‘outsider’. Women will often go to primary care physicians to report psychosomatic symptoms who will then refer them to psychiatrists or psychologist as it is much easier and more socially acceptable to admit that there is something wrong with the body then it is to admit that they need help coping,” says Dr Afridi.

Lack of awareness is the main reason why women in the Arab world do not seek appropriate treatment for symptoms of depression. “Many women are unaware of the different ways that depression can present itself, and, being away from their support systems can often leave them alone to cope with life’s challenges. Stress is also a major issue trigger as women try to adhere to traditional gender definitions and while juggling the high demands of family, work, and social responsibilities,” Dr. Afridi explains.

According to Dr. Afridi, prescribing anti-depressants is only an effective form of treatment when the individual is treated holistically. “Antidepressants may alleviate the symptoms of depression; however, they will not treat the life choices and patterns that the person is involved in that resulted in the depression. Emotional health is very important as the patient must learn how to heal their wounds, learn their relational style, achieve work-life balance, know what their impact is on those around them, take accountability for their role in their depression, and feel empowered to make life changes,” she explains.

Running alongside the congress is an exhibition that offers a platform to present the latest technologies and product launches from manufacturers and distributors to a highly specialised audience including gynecologists, nurses, obstetricians, oncologists, sonographers and surgeons amongst others.

As Simon Page, Managing Director – Life Sciences, Informa exhibitions, explains: “At Obs-Gyne 2012, more 50 exhibiting companies from 10 countries will showcases healthcare technology and innovation in the obs-gyne medical sector including ultrasound diagnostics equipment, scanners, sensors, cryosurgery instrument, and prescription and non-prescription medicine.”

For more information on Obs-Gyne Exhibition & Congress, please call +971 4 407 2743 or visit www.obs-gyne.com.

-END-

Note to Editors

About Informa Exhibitions:
For more information, please visit www.informaexhibitions.com.

About AAOGS:
For more information, please visit www.arabog.org.

About LightHouse Arabia:
For more information, please visit www.lighthousearabia.com

For media enquiries please contact:
Inga Stevens
PR and Social Media Manager
Life Science Division
Informa Exhibitions
T: +971 4 407 2743
inga.stevens@informa.com