A radiology technician works in the print laboratory at Al Noor Hospital in Abu Dhabi. Christopher Pike / The National
A radiology technician works in the print laboratory at Al Noor Hospital in Abu Dhabi. Christopher Pike / The National

UAE doctors appeal for more radiologists



ABU DHABI // A shortage of radiologists in the country is leading to overworked doctors and lengthy waiting times for patients.

Radiologists play a vital role in the diagnosis of many illnesses, particularly cancers, by using imaging techniques such as X-rays, CAT scans and ultrasound, and in treatment through radiation therapy.

However, a shortage of these professionals means that some are having to work seven days a week, while patients have to wait up to four months for an appointment.

Dr Yasmeen Ul Mulk, a female imaging and foetal medicine expert at Global Hawk Imaging & Diagnostics (GHID) Centre in Jumeirah, Dubai, said advances in technology meant radiologists were more essential than ever.

“The need is great and there are very few professionals in the UAE,” she said. “Whereas earlier radiologists were required only for reading some tests, the increasing dependence on technology means that more people are required to analyse the reports. Also, with growing investment in the health sector in UAE, more radiologists are needed.”

She said the shortage meant she was constantly pushed for time.

“We have to consult too many patients within a given time and that is overwhelming. We need to make sure that we refer the patients to the concerned doctor on the basis of their report,” she said.

She believed the UAE should encourage more medical graduates to train in the profession.

Radiologist Dr Jassem Al Hammadi, who works at the Dubai Bone and Joint Centre, agreed that the problem was critical.

“In case of emergencies we see patients immediately, but for a standard check-up or appointment, patients may have to wait for as long as three to four months,” he said.

“Some hospitals in UAE have just one radiologist and they have to be on call every day. They are overworked.”

He said the issue was compounded by the fact some female patients only wanted to see female doctors.

“Female radiologists are even harder to find and many women prefer being consulted by a person of the same gender when they are undergoing a test like a mammogram, MRI or ultrasound.”

Dr Hammadi added that there are not enough programmes teaching radiology.

“Only in the recent years have there been residency programmes for radiologists in UAE,” he said.

“We have excellent consultants and it would be a great help if they would teach the students.

“Universities should focus on teaching this discipline and young Emiratis can also be trained. If this is done, a student can assist a senior doctor and this will reduce the burden of work on the senior radiologist.”

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) started a residency programme for radiologists two years ago and six students are studying the discipline at present.

Dr Suhaila Qayed, coordinator at Dubai Training Residency Programme at the Department of Medical Education, said: “The students here are Arab board certified and are taught by consultants at DHA. They can pursue fellowships after their studies. The idea is to train Emiratis and ensure there are more specialised radiologists in UAE.”

The programme is open only to Emiratis at present, but Dr Qayed added that the programme might be expanded in the future.

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Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021

Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.

The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.

These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.

“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.

“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.

“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.

“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”

Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.

There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.

“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.

“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.

“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”

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Nationality: New Zealand

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Favourite book: Lemurs of Madagascar by Russell A Mittermeier

Favourite music: Billy Joel

Weekends and holidays: Talking about animals or visiting his farm in Australia

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Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
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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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