Healthcare | Monday 11 February, 2019 3:30 am |

Sharjah Health Authority (SHA) and Gruppo San Donato (GSD), have signed a landmark memorandum of understanding (MoU) that will help shape the healthcare landscape of the Emirate. The agreement will help foster cooperation from the largest healthcare organization in Italy and Sharjah Health Authority. With 16,894 employees, Gruppo San Donato will help associate with the various healthcare initiatives in Sharjah and support in attracting investments into Sharjah Healthcare City (SHCC).

Commenting on the agreement, H.E. Abdullah Al Mahyan, Chairman, Sharjah Health Authority said, “The MoU is another step in fulfilling our commitment to deliver quality healthcare services in the Emirate of Sharjah. With the help of Gruppo San Donato, we aren’t just strengthening the ties between our two great nations but also gaining the expertise and technical know-how of one of the top healthcare organizations in the world. The association with GSD will help us achieve the vision set forth by the Sharjah Health Authority and confirm Sharjah’s position as a leading healthcare destination in the Middle Eastern market”.

The MOU was signed between H.E. Abdullah Al Mahyan, Chairman, Sharjah Health Authority and Mr. Paolo Rotelli, President, Gruppo San Donato. Under the MoU, both the SHA and the GSD will cooperate by transferring knowledge, technology and best practices in the field of healthcare. GSD’s association with the hospitals in the Emirate of Sharjah will result in replicating top-quality healthcare standards among the providers. A direct result of the MoU will be an increased participation and investment in the ambitious Sharjah Healthcare City (SHCC). The MoU was signed in the presence of Mr. Kamel Ghribi, Chairman of GSD Healthcare and Dr. Abdel Aziz Al Mheiri Director of Sharjah Health Authority.

Paolo Rotelli, President, Gruppo San Donato said, “We are proud to be a part of the growing healthcare market here in the UAE and specifically Sharjah. We thank the Sharjah Health Authority for this opportunity and look forward to working with them and sharing our decades of knowledge and expertise. As with all our ventures in Italy and abroad, we would help provide the requisite talent and technology to set up medical institutes that follow the highest and strictest standards of quality.”

This agreement aims to further strengthen cooperation in healthcare sectors that support the authority’s endeavors and to ensure that its services are provided by the best and most advanced international experts. The agreement was also in line with the Emirate’s ambition to uphold its status as the healthy city in the Middle East and Africa region. Sharjah had earlier received an impressive score of 88% by the World Health Organization and recognized as the first healthy city in the region.

During the meeting, a number of topics were discussed, primarily regarding the existing framework of healthcare industry in the two countries. Towards the end, both parties mutually agreed in achieving best practices by knowledge sharing, strengthening relations and cementing several core partnerships. SHA has always taken pride in associating with the best healthcare organisations from around the world.

Gruppo San Donato is a leading Italian Hospital Group with 19 hospitals all over Italy, with a capacity of 5,568 beds, 5,731 qualified physicians on rolls serving 4.3 million patients a year. Apart from providing quality healthcare services, the group also boasts of providing recognized medical research facilities in various therapeutic segments including genetics, stem cells, diabetes, oncology and neurology.

Initiated under the auspices of His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, Sharjah Health Authority was formed in May 2010. The key objective of the Authority would be to enhance, evolve and regulate the healthcare system in the Emirate of Sharjah. Thus, transforming the Emirate as the most sought-after healthcare destination in the region.

The prime mission of SHA currently is to develop and manage the most ambitious project called Sharjah Healthcare City (SHCC). Apart from that SHA also manages the Sharjah Health Insurance department which covers all the Sharjah Government employees and their dependents’ health insurance and recently after the announcement of Sharjah as the Healthy city under the WHO (World Health Organization) healthy cities program, a dedicated department is formed under SHA to coordinate with WHO to ensure the sustainability of this program.