Effective palliative care improves the quality of life for patients with many disease types and chronic illnesses, doctors say. Getty Images
Effective palliative care improves the quality of life for patients with many disease types and chronic illnesses, doctors say. Getty Images
Effective palliative care improves the quality of life for patients with many disease types and chronic illnesses, doctors say. Getty Images
Effective palliative care improves the quality of life for patients with many disease types and chronic illnesses, doctors say. Getty Images

UAE hospitals 'need more elderly and end-of-life care' as population grows


Nick Webster
  • English
  • Arabic

Healthcare providers in the UAE will have to make greater provisions for end-of-life care as life expectancy rises, medics say.

Palliative care can improve the quality of life for patients with many disease types and chronic illnesses, including cancer, heart disease and respiratory conditions, they said.

It has also proved to lead to less pain and decreased depression, and it helps family members to cope.

Multiple health conditions are more likely in old age, but with fewer than 10 specialist palliative care professionals working in the country, it is an area in need of growth, UAE doctors have said.

Life expectancy around the world has increased. In the UAE, the average lifespan has risen from 60 in the 1960s to around 78 today, according to statistics from the UN. Residents can expect to live to an average age of 88 by the end of the century.

It also comes as the population rises in the UAE — Dubai's has hit 3.5 million — and the easing of visa rules means more people are not only moving to the UAE but staying here longer and retiring in the country.

Dr Neil Nijhawan at Burjeel Medical City in Abu Dhabi said: 'We know when palliative care is good, there are better outcomes.' Pawan Singh / The National
Dr Neil Nijhawan at Burjeel Medical City in Abu Dhabi said: 'We know when palliative care is good, there are better outcomes.' Pawan Singh / The National

Why palliative care is important

“We know when palliative care is good, there are better outcomes,” said Dr Neil Nijhawan, the first licensed palliative care physician in Abu Dhabi, at Burjeel Medical City.

“This is measured in better pain management and quality of life scores, that leads to less depression and makes family members feel better.

“If palliative care is involved at the point of diagnosis, on average, patients live three months longer.

“To seek this when there is no other form of treatment is too blunt an outlook.”

Palliative care has been available in the UAE since 2007 but limited to a relatively small number of healthcare institutions in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Services remain mainly affiliated with cancer cases but the benefits for both patients and their families are now established alongside a growing recognition of the need for more specialists.

The area covers a wide range of issues that can include pain, depression, anxiety, fatigue, shortness of breath, constipation, nausea, loss of appetite and difficulty sleeping.

In the UK’s NHS, the Liverpool Care Pathway for the dying patient was developed to help doctors and nurses provide quality end of life care in the late 1990s. But it was scrapped in 2013 after a government review uncovered that some staff wrongly interpreted its care guidance and stories emerged of patients left sedated and without fluids.

“Clearly the problem was with its education and how it was implemented,” said Dr Nijhawan, who worked in several UK hospitals and hospices.

Training for medical students in palliative care is being encouraged. Victor Besa / The National
Training for medical students in palliative care is being encouraged. Victor Besa / The National

The UAE in 2016 enshrined in law the right to a natural death, meaning medical staff could refrain from performing CPR on dying patients suffering from conditions that are probably incurable.

If all treatment has failed, or at least three doctors advise against resuscitation, a patient will be allowed to die naturally.

Dr Nijhawan said “more than 80 per cent of people agree with it so we can avoid PCR and allow people to die peacefully".

Another issue is training medical students in the field as not all medical students are taught how to communicate with the family of a dying patient.

“At some point in your career in health care, you will come across someone at the end of their life,” said Dr Nijhawan.

“We should be better at sensitively and ethically speaking to relatives. From a training perspective, this has to change.

“We have an ageing population, not just here but around the world, so geriatric care will become even more important.”

Palliative centres in the UAE and region

Within the UAE, there are around eight professionals in specialist palliative care across Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Tawam Hospital provides the bulk of palliative care in Al Ain. The palliative care division at the hospital was the first and only hospital-based service of its kind in the UAE and provides temporary free accommodation for oncology patients and their families.

Dr Ahmad Al Khayer at the Provita International Medical Centre in Khalifa City. Palliative care is a much-needed area, he says. Khushnum Bhandari for The National
Dr Ahmad Al Khayer at the Provita International Medical Centre in Khalifa City. Palliative care is a much-needed area, he says. Khushnum Bhandari for The National

Guidelines on palliative care were delivered to the private sector by the Department of Health in 2019.

“It is a much needed area,” said Dr Ahmad Al Khayer, medical director at NMC Provita in Khalifa City.

“So many patients suffer from cancer and other conditions that need palliation so it will sit very well in the profile of private hospitals if it is developed.

“Some groundwork needs to be done by the private providers under the guidance of the healthcare regulators to encourage them to agree on the criteria of care and also to have the insurance paying for the services.”

According to a 2019 report by the World Health Organisation, the Eastern Mediterranean Region has the second-lowest availability of palliative care services and is below the global average, despite cancer among the leading causes of death in Arab countries.

Patients diagnosed with cancer in the region tend to present at later stages of illness and therefore have high palliative care needs, but few who could benefit receive it.

“Palliative care is meant to enhance a person's current care by focusing on quality of life for them and their family,” said Dr Prasanta Kumar Dash, an oncologist at Canadian Specialist Hospital in Dubai.

“It can also help patients understand their choices for medical treatment.”

In general, there is significant variability in terms of what different insurance companies cover for palliative care.

Most patients in need of in patient palliative care admission are admitted under an acute Diagnosis Relate Groups payment system for pain management, for example.

Patients will then either improve and later be discharged home.

If, however, patients require more prolonged in patient care, including end of life care, then they will need to be admitted for long-term care.

Only Thiqa 1 and Thiqa 2 plans in Abu Dhabi and other high-end Daman policies will cover long-term care costs.

Essentially, there is currently no specific funding model for palliative care.

“Most international insurers will have palliative care cover as an add on to policies, such as BUPA, Allianz or Cigna,” said Stephen Maclaren, a health insurance specialist with Seven Insurance Brokers in Dubai.

“It will carry an additional cost.

“This kind of care cover is a market that is needed in the UAE, as cancer cases are on the increase.”

UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES

Saturday (UAE kick-off times)

Watford v Leicester City (3.30pm)

Brighton v Arsenal (6pm)

West Ham v Wolves (8.30pm)

Bournemouth v Crystal Palace (10.45pm)

Sunday

Newcastle United v Sheffield United (5pm)

Aston Villa v Chelsea (7.15pm)

Everton v Liverpool (10pm)

Monday

Manchester City v Burnley (11pm)

A MINECRAFT MOVIE

Director: Jared Hess

Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa

Rating: 3/5

House-hunting

Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove

  1. Edinburgh, Scotland 
  2. Westminster, London 
  3. Camden, London 
  4. Glasgow, Scotland 
  5. Islington, London 
  6. Kensington and Chelsea, London 
  7. Highlands, Scotland 
  8. Argyll and Bute, Scotland 
  9. Fife, Scotland 
  10. Tower Hamlets, London 

 

Fifa%20World%20Cup%20Qatar%202022%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFirst%20match%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENovember%2020%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFinal%2016%20round%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%203%20to%206%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EQuarter-finals%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%209%20and%2010%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESemi-finals%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%2013%20and%2014%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFinal%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%2018%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation

- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut

- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.

- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.

- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.

 

SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2-litre%204-cylinder%20petrol%20(V%20Class)%3B%20electric%20motor%20with%2060kW%20or%2090kW%20powerpack%20(EQV)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20233hp%20(V%20Class%2C%20best%20option)%3B%20204hp%20(EQV%2C%20best%20option)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20350Nm%20(V%20Class%2C%20best%20option)%3B%20TBA%20(EQV)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMid-2024%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETBA%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
RESULTS

Tottenham 1

Jan Vertonghen 13'

Norwich 1

Josip Drmic 78'

2-3 on penalties

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Ramy%3A%20Season%203%2C%20Episode%201
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreators%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAri%20Katcher%2C%20Ryan%20Welch%2C%20Ramy%20Youssef%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERamy%20Youssef%2C%20Amr%20Waked%2C%20Mohammed%20Amer%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO

France 3
Umtiti (8'), Griezmann (29' pen), Dembele (63')

Italy 1
Bonucci (36')

South Africa v India schedule

Tests: 1st Test Jan 5-9, Cape Town; 2nd Test Jan 13-17, Centurion; 3rd Test Jan 24-28, Johannesburg

ODIs: 1st ODI Feb 1, Durban; 2nd ODI Feb 4, Centurion; 3rd ODI Feb 7, Cape Town; 4th ODI Feb 10, Johannesburg; 5th ODI Feb 13, Port Elizabeth; 6th ODI Feb 16, Centurion

T20Is: 1st T20I Feb 18, Johannesburg; 2nd T20I Feb 21, Centurion; 3rd T20I Feb 24, Cape Town

Infiniti QX80 specs

Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6

Power: 450hp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000

Available: Now

The details

Colette

Director: Wash Westmoreland

Starring: Keira Knightley, Dominic West

Our take: 3/5

Opening weekend Premier League fixtures

Weekend of August 10-13

Arsenal v Manchester City

Bournemouth v Cardiff City

Fulham v Crystal Palace

Huddersfield Town v Chelsea

Liverpool v West Ham United

Manchester United v Leicester City

Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur

Southampton v Burnley

Watford v Brighton & Hove Albion

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Everton

What is the FNC?

The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning. 
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval. 
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
 

How the bonus system works

The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.

The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.

There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).

All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.

What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
 
  • Grade 9 = above an A*
  • Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
  • Grade 7 = grade A
  • Grade 6 = just above a grade B
  • Grade 5 = between grades B and C
  • Grade 4 = grade C
  • Grade 3 = between grades D and E
  • Grade 2 = between grades E and F
  • Grade 1 = between grades F and G
Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

It Was Just an Accident

Director: Jafar Panahi

Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr

Rating: 4/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sreesanth's India bowling career

Tests 27, Wickets 87, Average 37.59, Best 5-40

ODIs 53, Wickets 75, Average 33.44, Best 6-55

T20Is 10, Wickets 7, Average 41.14, Best 2-12

The Bio

Name: Lynn Davison

Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi

Children: She has one son, Casey, 28

Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK

Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Favourite Author: CJ Sansom

Favourite holiday destination: Bali

Favourite food: A Sunday roast

2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups

Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.

Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.

Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.

Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).

Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.

Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.

Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.

Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.

The Bloomberg Billionaire Index in full

1 Jeff Bezos $140 billion
2 Bill Gates $98.3 billion
3 Bernard Arnault $83.1 billion
4 Warren Buffett $83 billion
5 Amancio Ortega $67.9 billion
6 Mark Zuckerberg $67.3 billion
7 Larry Page $56.8 billion
8 Larry Ellison $56.1 billion
9 Sergey Brin $55.2 billion
10 Carlos Slim $55.2 billion

12%20restaurants%20opening%20at%20the%20hotel%20this%20month
%3Cp%3EAriana%E2%80%99s%20Persian%20Kitchen%3Cbr%3EDinner%20by%20Heston%20Blumenthal%3Cbr%3EEstiatorio%20Milos%3Cbr%3EHouse%20of%20Desserts%3Cbr%3EJaleo%20by%20Jose%20Andres%3Cbr%3ELa%20Mar%3Cbr%3ELing%20Ling%3Cbr%3ELittle%20Venice%20Cake%20Company%3Cbr%3EMalibu%2090265%3Cbr%3ENobu%20by%20the%20Beach%3Cbr%3EResonance%20by%20Heston%20Blumenthal%3Cbr%3EThe%20Royal%20Tearoom%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
What is graphene?

Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.

It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.

It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.

It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.

Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.

The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
While you're here
The specs

Engine: 2.9-litre, V6 twin-turbo

Transmission: seven-speed PDK dual clutch automatic

Power: 375bhp

Torque: 520Nm

Price: Dh332,800

On sale: now

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESmartCrowd%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiddiq%20Farid%20and%20Musfique%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%20%2F%20PropTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24650%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2035%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVarious%20institutional%20investors%20and%20notable%20angel%20investors%20(500%20MENA%2C%20Shurooq%2C%20Mada%2C%20Seedstar%2C%20Tricap)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills

Everything Now

Arcade Fire

(Columbia Records)

Updated: April 25, 2022, 10:07 AM`