Health

Ministry says UAE blood collection system is one of the best in region

The Emirates has done such a good job in promoting blood collection that almost all the blood it collects is from volunteers.

Ramona Ruiz

June 14, 2009

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ABU DHABI // The Emirates has done such a good job in promoting blood collection that almost all the blood it collects is from volunteers, according to a Ministry of Health official. The country's blood research and transfusion services, using advanced laboratory and diagnostic technologies, are among the best in the region, said Dr Amin al Amiri, the chairman of the National Committee for Blood Transfusion, in remarks published by the state news agency WAM.

Today is World Blood Donor Day, and Dr al Amiri said figures by the Ministry of Health's Department of Blood Transfusion and Research Services in Sharjah showed that 86,000 blood units were collected nationwide in 2008. UAE nationals led the way in donations. A unit of blood is 450 millilitres. An adult human has roughly 12 units. The performance of the blood services in the UAE had prompted the World Health Organisation (WHO) to set up a regional centre for blood research and transfusion services in Sharjah, he added.

Studies reveal that some governments perceive the task of mobilising the population to donate blood without payment or family interest as insurmountable. The UAE has shown that it is possible to change donor behaviour in a very short time, according to the WHO. The UAE has long been a leader in the field. It was the first country in the region to stop importing blood in 1984, after the discovery of HIV/Aids.

In 1990, the Government established a national blood transfusion programme and took legislative and policy measures to move to a system of 100 per cent voluntary unpaid blood donation. "The UAE has clearly demonstrated the power of political commitment and community involvement and sets an example we hope other countries will follow," said Neelam Dhingra, the co-ordinator of blood transfusion safety at the WHO.

It is estimated that more than 85 million blood donations are given every year worldwide. Voluntary unpaid donors account for 100 per cent of blood supplies in 57 countries. The global event today will be held in Melbourne, Australia. It is being hosted by the national government in association with the Australian Red Cross and Australian Red Cross Blood Service. rruiz@thenational.ae

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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