Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
Burjeel Holdings has launched a Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Centre at Burjeel Medical City (BMC) in Abu Dhabi, marking a significant step towards redefining the standard of care for individuals with inherited blood disorders.
The launch took place under the patronage and in the presence of Sheikha Shaikha bint Saif bin Mohamed Al Nahyan, wife of Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Advisor to His Highness the President and Chairperson of the Emirates Thalassemia Society.
In her opening speech on the occasion, Sheikha Shamma said, "In my mother's unwavering commitment to thalassemia patients, I have witnessed how compassion, when paired with vision and persistence, can transform countless lives across generations and beyond borders.
"The newly inaugurated Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Centre by Burjeel Holdings' state-of-the-art facility will provide compassionate and comprehensive care to patients and their families," she added.
The centre was inaugurated in a grand ceremony also attended by Sheikh Khalifa bin Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil, Founder and Chairman of Burjeel Holdings, Omran Al Khoori, Board Member, and a number of Burjeel leaders.
The opening was also attended by members of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Thalassemia Society, and a number of leaders from the Department of Health in Abu Dhabi.
The centre supports individuals living with thalassemia and sickle cell disease by delivering a holistic, patient-centric, and evidence-based model of care, supported by a multidisciplinary team of world-renowned experts.
The centre offers fully integrated outpatient services and a dedicated transfusion unit operating seven days a week. The centre is distinguished by several key differentiators, including extended transfusion services across the UAE via Burjeel’s hospital network, internationally validated MRI quantification of iron overload in the heart and liver, and in-house molecular genotyping capabilities.
Prof. Khaled Musallam, Group Chief Research Officer of Burjeel Holdings and Director of the Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Centre, said, "What makes this centre unique is the combination of global clinical expertise, access to the latest therapies, and the ability to deliver care in line with international guidelines authored by the very people leading the services here."
With an international advisory board of global key opinion leaders, the centre adheres to leading global standards, including those of the Thalassaemia International Federation, with necessary local adaptations to meet patients' needs.
The centre will also work closely with the Centre for Research on Rare Blood Disorders (CR-RBD) at BMC, also headed by Prof. Khaled Musallam, to identify and enroll eligible patients in global clinical trials, ensuring access to the latest innovations in treatment, including disease-modifying and curative therapies.
CR-RBD has swiftly become recognised as one of the most active hubs for research on haheemoglobin disorders globally.
