UAE Consulate in Melbourne hosts remote meeting to discuss post-COVID-19 opportunities in health sector.

The UAE General Consulate in Melbourne, Australia, organised the first video conference meeting with Monash University as part of a series of remote discussions that aim to promote the UAE’s role in health diplomacy under the title, "Readiness for the Post-COVID-19 Period" under the patronage of Abdullah Ali Ateeq Al Sabousi, UAE Ambassador to Australia.

The meeting, chaired by Dr. Nariman Al Mualla, UAE Consul-General in Melbourne, discussed ways of enhancing relations between the UAE and Australia in the health sector and finding opportunities for cooperation between the two sides after the end of the pandemic.

In his speech, Al Sabousi said, "The UAE has effectively dealt with the impact and repercussions of the novel coronavirus and its transformation into a global pandemic. The country responded by organising a national disinfection campaign and launching an online prevention portal, as well as cleanliness awareness and physical distancing campaigns."

He also pointed out that the UAE has successfully conducted many laboratory tests and over three million COVID-19 exams while highlighting its humanitarian efforts to support other countries by sending medical and food supplies, stressing that this humanitarian approach is rooted in the UAE's foreign policy since its foundation as a nation.

He then praised the efforts of the Australian Government to contain the pandemic and the strategic role played by frontline medical staff, including doctors, nurses and the police.

He then affirmed that the UAE is keen to support the health sector in the future and benefit from the experience obtained from the pandemic, stating, "We should focus on transferring knowledge to the state, especially in research, development, and training, by creating effective partnerships with health industries, particularly in pharmaceuticals, vaccinations, essential drugs, and supply chains."

Dr. Al Mualla said that the UAE is seeing opportunities in the healthcare sector in the post-COVID-19 period to promote its development model and achieve its related strategic objectives. She also highlighted the UAE's experience in using stem cell therapy to treat people suffering from COVID-19 and noted its promising initial outcomes.

Dr. Amin Hussein Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary for Public Health Policy and Licensing Sector in the Ministry of Health and Prevention, stressed that stem cell therapy can be useful in the treatment of many chronic diseases, such as diabetes and blood diseases, around the world.

Professor Peter Kerry talked about the latest scientific research in this field and the progress in the treatment of COVID-19 patients in Australia, as well as opportunities for cooperation with medical centres and hospitals around the country.