WAM Abu Dhabi, 23 May 2012 (WAM): The Health Authority - Abu Dhabi (HAAD), the regulatory body of the health care sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, signed today four hospital service agreements today with CHA Gangnam Medical Center, EWHA Woman's University Medical Center, Severance Hospital and Wooridul Hospital in Korea at Emirates Palace Hotel.

The agreements aim to raise the quality of health care services provided in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi through the exchange of knowledge and expertise and improve the qualifications of medical staff between the sides.

The agreements were signed by Zaid Al Siksek, CEO of HAAD, in the presence of Chemin Rim, Korean Minister of Health and Welfare (MoHW) and a number of attendees from UAE Ministry of Health, HAAD, Dubai Health Authority (DHA), Zayed Military Hospital, Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), Mubadala and Abu Dhabi's National Insurance Company (DAMAN).

Commenting on the signing, Mohammed Al Hameli, Chairman of HAAD, said: "A delegation from the Health Authority - Abu Dhabi visited Seoul in November last year to explore the health care sector in Korea in various medical areas and discussed mutual goals with the aim to improve health services in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi on local and international level. Today's agreements' signing reflects the strong business ties between the UAE and Republic of Korea in all areas and specifically in the Healthcare sector." The Korean Healthcare Sector has witnessed a remarkable development in the past few years. This progress was reflected in the numbers of international patients admitted to Korean Hospitals. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MoHW) of Korea, the number of patients from the Middle East reached to 1821 patients in 2011, a 91 percent increase when compared to 949 patients in 2010.

Minister Chemin Rim emphasized that Korea and the UAE have been working together in the healthcare field as partners with expectations to expand the level of cooperation, which will lead to the benefit of both nations. The Minister added Korea will support to create a foreign patient-friendly environment so that patients from Abu Dhabi will feel at home when visiting Korea for medical treatment.

The two sides jointly hosted "The Medial Korea in Abu Dhabi Workshop" to deliver the excellence of Korean medical technology and to raise the general awareness of Korea's advanced medical services including organ transplantation, cancer centers, BMT centers, cardiovascular centers among others. HAAD also shed the light on its vision and achievements as well as future plans for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

The signing brings the number of agreements signed between the Authority and the Korean side to eight agreements as part of the mechanism of activation of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two sides in March 2011 and aims of these agreements to raise the level of health care services provided in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi through the exchange of knowledge and expertise and improve the qualifications of medical staff between the parties.

Following the workshop, the two sides visited the HAAD International Patient Care centre (IPC) to launch the Pre-Post Care service,., a patient referral system to Korean hospitals in which Korean doctors consult their patient's pre and post-operative conditions. The System is established under Korea's ubiquitous (U-health) system Cooperation in the healthcare field between two countries have been quickly progressing since HAAD signed the MOU with MoHW in March 2011 and hospital service agreement with four Korean hospitals (Samsung Seoul Hospital, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, and ASAN Medical Center in Korea) in November of 2011.

WAM/TF