The 11th International Conference of Al Noor opened on Thursday in Abu Dhabi under the distinguished patronage and presence of Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development.

The conference saw the participation of a large number of healthcare professionals from across the UAE and from abroad.

In his opening address, Sheikh Nahyan said, "We warmly welcome all of you who have traveled from abroad and who share with everyone here a resolve to identify the challenges to surgical practice and to discover solutions that will strengthen the healthcare that you so expertly provide."

He added, "Today, we also recognise the entrepreneurial and medical achievements of Dr. Kassem Alom, the founder of Al Noor Hospitals Group, now one of the world’s largest private hospital groups. Thank you, my friend. Also prominent, in the support of our growing capabilities for providing exemplary healthcare for our population, is the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi, which is the accrediting body for this conference."

Sheikh Nahyan said that skilled surgeons practice all over the world, and the conference organisers have wisely sought insights from several countries and from the international group of surgeons who staff the UAE hospitals.

"The many different experiences and points of view greatly increase the probability that you will leave this conference with a firm grasp on the recent advances in surgery and will be better prepared to treat your patients. I commend all of you, conference participants, on your resolve to be the best in your profession," he said.

Sheikh Nahyan noted, "Your ambitious programme for this conference fatefully alerts practically every part of our entire anatomy. Surgeries designated as oncology, bariatric, head and neck, orthopedic, and vascular/cardiac remind us of our mortality. Pediatric surgery reminds us that we are already survivors. General surgery reminds us that you are overlooking nothing. We are all grateful for your studious and prudent attitude. Healthy lives and often life itself are at stake."

He said that the nineteenth-century American poet Emily Dickinson expressed a universal concern. She wrote these words: "Surgeons must be very careful when they take the knife underneath their fine incisions stirs the culprit life. Dickinson celebrates the surgeon’s skill those fine incisions but at the same time indicates that the surgeon possesses a potentially mortal power.

Addressing the conferees, Sheikh Nahyan underlined that "You resemble the leaders of government who bear the responsibility to protect and improve the lives of those whom they govern. They must seek all relevant knowledge, tailor carefully the policies and actions that will affect citizens as individual people, effectively apply all of their various resources in governing wisely, and do no harm. Thus it is that President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahayan and his leadership team are ensuring that the UAE achieves (and I quote the words of the President) "an outstanding human development, a modern infrastructure, basic modern services, great economic successes, educated man, prosperity, well-being, and security."

As to well-being, Sheikh Nahyan continued, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, has worked with great resolve and dedication to strengthen the healthcare system in Abu Dhabi. Thanks to His Highness’s leadership and guidance, Abu Dhabi has emerged as a global centre of excellence for medical services and health care."

Following his speech, Sheikh Nahyan officially opened and toured the exhibition space, which featured a number of exhibiting companies specialising in the field of surgery.

Dr. Kassem Alom, Founder of Al Noor Hospitals Group, said, "It gives me great pleasure to welcome you today to the 11th edition of the ICAN, this year held in association with the UAE Chapter of the American College of Surgeons. I would like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere gratitude to Sheikh Nahyan for his continuous support towards the educational initiatives of Al Noor Hospital, now part of Mediclinic International. We, as a group, take great pride in our corporate and social responsibility towards ensuring the continuous education of healthcare professionals in the UAE."

Prof. Dr. Safwan Taha, Conference Director, Consultant General, Laparoscopic and Bariatric Surgeon, Medical Director of Al Noor Hospital Airport Road Branch and President of the UAE Chapter of the American College of Surgeons said, "The International Conference of Al Noor (ICAN) has contributed significantly towards the continuing medical education momentum in the UAE through the diverse topics it discussed and the highly acclaimed faculty it attracted from world renowned institutions."

He added, "This year’s ICAN is specifically designed to highlight the challenges that we face in our current surgical practice and offer solutions to help overcome them."

Dr. Haythem El Salhat, Consultant Surgical Oncologist, Chief of Surgical Departments at Al Noor Hospital Airport Road branch, Medical Director of the Oncology Service Line – Head of Department - Surgical Oncology of Al Noor Hospitals Group and a member of the Conference’s Scientific Committee said: "In the past, surgery was the only treatment available for cancer however; cancer care has evolved significantly to include other alternatives such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy as well."

He added, "While surgery remains the best treatment option with the potential to cure several solid cancers, the modern standard care of cancer entails a combination of surgery and other forms of therapies provided by a multidisciplinary clinical team comprising oncologists, surgical oncologists, radiation oncologists, pathologists and allied health services who collectively map out the optimal treatment plan tailored to the individual needs of each patient."

The first day of the conference comprised four sessions that covered a total of 16 topics related to Oncology Surgery, Bariatric Surgery, General Surgery and, Head and Neck Surgery. It is worth mentioning that the conference is accredited by the Health Authority-Abu Dhabi for 13 Continuing Medical Education hours.

Source:WAM