Al Jalila aims to remove negativity of hospitals
DUBAI — To celebrate the first birthday of his daughter Al Jalila on December 2, 2008, His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the Dubai and Ruler of Dubai, ordered that the first children’s hospital be built in the UAE.
Just a month short of her ninth birthday next month, Shaikh Mohammed inaugurated Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital on November 9, fulfilling his promise and dedicating the hospital to the children of the country.
With 24 clinics under one roof and more than 70,000 outpatients expected per year, the hospital located in Zabeel 1, had a soft opening on August 15 this year.
In an exclusive conversation, Dr Moza Al Zaabi, Chief Executive Officer, Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital explains what the hospital means to the children in the UAE, what it offers and what the future plans are.
“We commenced services with the opening of our outpatient department on August 15. Our inpatient services started on November 1 and to date, we have registered more than 300 patients,” she said.
Five centres are operational including the Heart Centre, Kidney Centre, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Centre, Neurosciences Centre, Critical Care Centre.
“The Cancer and Blood Disorders Centre is scheduled to open towards the end of 2017,” said Dr Moza.
She said the hospital offers services to children from across the globe mainly the UAE and GCC countries and has a good staff strength.
“At present we have around 600 people on our payroll — doctors, nurses, allied healthcare professionals, as well as administration and finance staff. The total target is subject to operations and expansion of our services,” she added.
Dr Moza said Al Jalila Children’s is the first of its kind in the UAE and even for those seeking treatment for their children from abroad. “Specialising exclusively in treatment of children, the hospital is defining a new standard for healthcare excellence on a global level.”
“Our facilities are environmentally friendly and patient and family centred,” she added.
Specialising exclusively in treatment of children, the hospital is defining a new standard for healthcare excellence on a global level.”
For those coming from abroad, the hospital provides tertiary care of the highest standards.
“We wanted to create an environment that removes any negative connotations children and adolescents may have with hospitals and allow them to be what they are — a child, an adolescent, a young person.”
Dr Moza explained that Al Jalila Children’s employs a team of multidisciplinary doctors with international qualifications and experience.
The Smart hospital incorporates advanced medical equipment and communications technology that enables patients to be in direct communication with their families, anywhere in the world, at all times from their single patient-room beds.
asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com