Press Review of the week

April 18th 2011

WeqayaWhereas the AFSSAPS, in France, wonders, as noticed Grange Blanche, about the legitimacy of booster dose by SMS, Golf states proceed with their computerization. Such a system of alert via email/SMS, called Weqaya, was launched last year for diabetic patients monitoring. We have already talked about Susannah Fox: she bears us in mind the power of the Net andthe smartphones to monitor efficiently chronic diseases.

In ArabianBusiness, John Dineen, GE HealthCare CEO, confided to Claire Ferris-Lay that he intends to develop his company in MENA and first of all in KSA. Governments invest widely in social and medical care. Private sector has to set up quickly with a comprehensive and local market strategy and a strengthened partnership with all health professionals on the field.

There is the technology aspect. There is also the need for better organization, administration and structure.

John Dineen

UAE Health Minister, Dr. Hanif Hassan Ali Al Qassim, owing to Emirates News Agency, reminds the important role of private sector in supporting the plans of public authorities.

Saudi Arabia is in the spotlight concerning healthcare in the newspapers. We learn in ArabNews that KSA in cooperation with the 6 GCC countries is preparing a regional plan to fight against HIV/AIDS plague. Dr. Laith Abu Raddad told us the absolute necessity of these pragmatic and lucid policies to limit this growing contagion.

In KSA 7 new pharmaceutical companies opened adding to the 26 currently operating, perhaps to fight against fake medicines. Abu Dhabi Health Authority has warned residents not to buy banned medicines online, previously withdrawn from pharmacies. If the Net can be a danger for patient, when it is properly used, Internet is an effective and powerful tool for health.

Indeed, The Saudi Gazette reveals that saudi Health Minister launched an electronic system “to allow patients to follow up their transactions electronically, in the Kingdom and in health offices abroad”. And GulfNews proudly tells us that UAE (25th), Bahrain (24th) and Qatar (30th) are among top-30 worldwide  ICT users. A growing market in healthcare which private investors will lust after…