The DHA Director General and senior DHA members met with world renowned health experts on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum summit that was recently held in Dubai.

For the second consecutive year, the World Economic Forum and the Government of Dubai hosted the Summit on the Global Agenda in the Emirate of Dubai from the 20th to 22nd of November 2009.

His Excellency Qadhi Saeed Al Murooshid and DHA members met with senior members from the Global Health Systems and Cooperation Council at the Madinat Jumeirah on the last day of the summit, the 22nd of November, 2009.

His Excellency Al Murooshid praised the efforts undertaken by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai to support such prestigious global summits.

Al Murooshid said, “We are very pleased that for the second consecutive year, the World Economic Forum, which beings together the best minds from across the globe, took place in the Emirate of Dubai. Our meeting with senior members from the Global Health Systems and Cooperation Council gave us an opportunity to discuss key healthcare developments in the Emirate of Dubai. We are glad that we were able to gain from their expertise in the field of healthcare and were able to share with them the highlights of the structural plan that the DHA is currently developing to address the healthcare needs of the population in Dubai, now and in future.”

Members at the meeting included Christopher Murray, Council Chair for Global Health Systems and Cooperation and Director of the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation, Jeffery L. Sturchio , Chair of Healthy Next Generation Council, Olivier Raynaud, Forum lead from the World Economic Forum and Council Vice-chair and Vishal Bali, CEO of the Wockhardt Hospital Group

They discussed the pivotal role that government health authorities play to develop their respective health sectors and the DHA highlighted its role as the strategic and principle health authority for the Emirate of Dubai that is responsible for developing health policy and strategy in Dubai and ensuring its application.

Al Murooshid also thanked the members for their support for their recommendations and feedback about various health issues pertaining to the Emirate of Dubai that were discussed at the meeting.

Dr Haidar Al Yousuf, Director of Health Funding at the DHA, was a member of the Global Health Systems and Cooperation Council and as a member he took part in of all the closed-door meetings, which were held to discuss ways to meet the global healthcare needs of the future in the current economic climate. The recommendations will be presented to the World Economic Forum.

The DHA attendees in the meeting with the Global Health Systems and Cooperation Council were Dr Haidar Al Yousuf, Director of Health Funding, Dr Peyvand Khaleghian, Director of Policy and Strategy, Ms Heba Al Shaar, Director of Institutional Marketing and Communications, Mrs Mubaraka Ibrahim, Director of Health Data and Information Analysis department, Mr Tony Batour Elzoghbi, Director of Governance and Internal Audit Department Ms Nabila Taha, Director of Actuarial studies, Dr Ibtesam Ibrahim Bastaki, Director of Business Development and Mr Mohammad Abdulqader Al Redha, Head of Health Data & Information Department Dr Khalid Nada, Head of Funding Policy & Development.