Abu Dhabi Health Services Company launches clinic to address uveitis in children

New clinic dedicated to treating pediatric uveitis opens in the UAE. (Image Credit: Adobe Stock/Ava Bock)

Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), the United Arab Emirates' largest integrated healthcare platform and a subsidiary of the PureHealth Group, has opened a clinic at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC) that is dedicated to treating pediatric patients suffering from Uveitis.

The clinic takes a multi-disciplinary approach, with specialists from SKMC's rheumatology and ophthalmology departments working together to provide holistic care to patients. By coordinating care, patients can receive faster treatment plans, accurate information, and fewer hospital visits, leading to potentially improved outcomes for vision and rheumatologic conditions.

Commenting on the new clinic, Saeed Jaber Al Kuwaiti, Group Chief Executive Officer at SEHA, said, “We are pleased to launch the new clinic at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, dedicated to serving pediatric rheumatology. The clinic will help improve the average health span and promote a healthier lifestyle in Abu Dhabi and the UAE. Under the wise and visionary leadership of the country, SEHA aims to raise the benchmarks in healthcare excellence to world-class levels to drive efficiencies across the entire value chain.”

Sheikha Dr. Noura Khalid Al Qassimi, Consultant Ophthalmologist at SKMC, said, “The option to provide combined care is very important, as reducing the time between diagnosis and treatment can significantly improve the child’s outcome. We want to avoid the risk of developing poor vision and blindness at all costs. Working together with our rheumatology department, we can together in the same setting agree on the diagnosis and management after explaining the whole situation to the parents and family and start the personalized treatment plan in order to save the child’s sight.”

Linked with international organizations, the clinic will also play a role in collecting data unique to this region, in efforts to provide personalized treatments and to also enhance the data available regionally for future consideration and planning. The service will also provide further opportunities for research and academia.

Dr. Kamran Mahmood, Consultant Paediatric Rheumatologist at SKMC, said, “This style of treatment has been seen all over the world, and I’m thrilled that it’s finally being brought to the UAE. We’re now able to provide patients with specialist care for their inflammatory eye diseases, and the treatment strategies can then be discussed and initiated promptly. In these instances, time is of the essence, and now we’re positioned to deliver the best care possible.”

Since its launch, the pediatric Uveitis clinic has already received patients under its care, offering a one-stop service that prioritizes urgent diagnoses and treatment that aligns with PureHealth’s initiatives.