SSSD opens registration for the Green Heart Award 4
Asma Al Khudari, the Director of the Office of Quality and Age-Friendly Health Services, shared that the award has received enthusiastic participation from seniors in the emirate. She is hopeful that future editions will extend to a wider audience across the nation. In the previous edition, 102 seniors participated, with 11 winning in the "Active Senior" category and 5 in the "Advanced Aging" category. The most popular areas of participation were in social and health-related categories.
Al Khudari emphasized the importance of the award in encouraging seniors to engage and participate in various activities. It aims to enhance their quality of life and foster a sense of community. This initiative supports Sharjah's goal of being an age-friendly city and seeks to tap into the valuable experiences of older adults for the benefit of the community. The award features two main categories: 'Active Senior' and 'Senior Senior,' each covering four key areas: cultural, social, health, and professional.
To make the application process easier, the department has updated the award criteria and switched to an online format. This change aims to improve the quality of submissions, speed up the review process, and reduce waiting times. Applicants can also modify or add to their information during the registration period. A detailed guide outlining the award's purpose, categories, and application process is available on the department's website for those interested in learning more.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Gulf Today
11 hours ago
- Gulf Today
DoH advances paediatric cell and gene therapy
The Department of Health - Abu Dhabi (DoH) has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding with Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C., to establish the Abu Dhabi - Children's National Hospital Cell and Gene Therapy Clinical Excellence Programme. The partnership marks a major step in advancing access to paediatric cell and gene therapies across the UAE. The agreement outlines joint fellowships, training programmes and workshops aimed at developing local expertise, positioning Abu Dhabi as a global hub for innovation in life sciences. Dr Asma Al Mannaei, Executive Director of the Health Life Sciences Sector at DoH, said the partnership reflects Abu Dhabi's integrated, patient-centred approach to healthcare. She added, "By combining global expertise with local ambition, we are building a care model that is sustainable, scalable and tailored to the needs of our youngest patients." Michelle Riley-Brown, President and CEO of Children's National, said the collaboration builds on a long-standing partnership with the UAE, aiming to fast-track the development of cutting-edge therapies and offer new hope to children and families. The initiative will drive development and delivery of advanced therapies such as Virus-Specific T-cell therapies (VST), with plans to establish Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) compliant facilities, standardise treatment protocols, and streamline clinical trial systems in Abu Dhabi. The agreement also covers joint biobanking, data governance improvements and long-term patient care integration. A major component includes Emirati clinician-scientist fellowships and the co-development of specialised training in cellular immunotherapy and trial management. The partnership will introduce virtual tumour board sessions and hands-on training in cell therapy manufacturing, quality control, and clinical procedures. Complementary workshops will focus on Investigator-Initiated Trials (IITs) and regulatory design, strengthening Abu Dhabi's healthcare workforce. The agreement follows a high-level Abu Dhabi delegation visit to the United States from 15th to 21st June, 2025, focused on health innovation and investment. Participants included the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, Mubadala BIO, M42, Masdar City, KEZAD, PureHealth, Etihad Cargo, NYU Abu Dhabi, Khalifa University, MBZUAI and startAD. WAM
Al Etihad
a day ago
- Al Etihad
DoH, UCSF, IGI explore establishing world's first-of-their kind centres for Genome surgery
4 July 2025 18:19 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD) The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), the regulator of the healthcare sector in Abu Dhabi, has announced a landmark partnership with the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and the Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI) to explore the establishment of the world's first-of-their-kind centres for genome surgery in Abu Dhabi and during a strategic visit to the United States, the collaboration seeks to accelerate the Emirate's efforts to lead in genomic medicine and advance personalised genetic therapy, transforming the future of healthcare delivery for the global community. Genome surgery is an experimental medical technique aimed at modifying or replacing faulty genes within cells to treat or prevent diseases. This is achieved through personalised genetic therapies or by using advanced technologies such as CRISPR, which can be tailored specifically to each patient based on their unique genetic new centres would enable the diagnosis and correction of severe genetic conditions as early as possible to improve outcomes. Leveraging CRISPR-based technologies, the Centres would offer customised, genome-guided interventions that have the potential to transform patient outcomes and redefine the future of Noura Khamis Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, commented, 'This collaboration reflects Abu Dhabi's determination to pioneer real-world applications of advanced science. Partnering with UCSF and IGI, one of the world's most respected institutions in gene therapy, would accelerate our ability to integrate genome-guided care into our healthcare system, creating an unprecedented opportunity to correct genetic conditions early in life, prevent chronic disease progression and reduce long-term healthcare costs'.By combining Abu Dhabi's state-of-the-art healthcare infrastructure and genomic data capabilities with UCSF's global leadership in pediatric and fetal therapy and IGI's cutting-edge research in gene editing, the partnership would drive the development and delivery of innovative, real-world solutions for patients with early-onset, severe, rare and inherited Tippi MacKenzie, Director of the UCSF Broad Stem Cell Centre, at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), said, 'This is an extraordinary time to be in medicine, when we have the opportunity to develop life-saving therapies for patients with severe genetic conditions. "We are excited by the possibility of developing mirrored programmes that coalesce multidisciplinary expertise and link the myriad steps between diagnosing a genetic disease and developing and implementing a safe genome surgery strategy.'The collaboration would also prioritise building national expertise by training a new generation of Emirati professionals in genomic surgery and clinical innovation. By intervening early in life-threatening or debilitating conditions, the initiative would build capacity to support families, reduce dependence on lifelong treatments, and ease pressure on the healthcare system, cementing Abu Dhabi's position as a global destination for advanced genomic care and life sciences Fyodor Urnov, Professor of Molecular Therapeutics at the University of California, Berkeley, and Director of the IGI-Danaher Beacon for CRISPR Cures, said, 'This year marks a landmark achievement for science and medicine of a CRISPR gene-editing therapeutic designed and administered on-demand to an infant with a severe inborn error of metabolism in record time. "The mission of the Innovative Genomics Institute as defined by its founder, Jennifer Doudna, winner of the 2020 Nobel Prize for CRISPR gene editing, is to make it the standard of medical care, no matter where such a child is born. The IGI's deep partnership with Danaher that made an enabling contribution to the on-demand gene edit earlier this year provides an outstanding technological and manufacturing foundation for scaling such therapeutic approaches. "We are honoured to partner with world-leading clinical expertise at UCSF to explore how we may ultimately expand CRISPR on demand to children living with severe genetic diseases in the UAE.'This exploratory partnership aligns with Abu Dhabi's broader vision to embed genomics into public health and drive a shift toward personalised and preventive care. Central to this effort is the Emirati Genome Programme, which has sequenced over 800,000 genomes to date, to create one of the most diverse national databases programme has enabled key initiatives such as the national pharmacogenomics reporting system (PGx), with over 160,000 reports now available to help tailor treatment plans based on individual genetic profiles. Additional milestones include the integration of genetic testing into the Premarital Screening Programme, the launch of the Newborn Genetic Screening Programme, and the development of the Emirati Reference Genome platform. These efforts are supported by the upskilling of over 100 Emirati physicians in genomic medicine and counselling through advanced training initiatives, strengthening local expertise in this critical a significant leap forward, Abu Dhabi introduced CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing therapy in the UAE for the first time through CASGEVY, a breakthrough treatment for sickle cell disease. Alongside this achievement, the Emirate's Personalised Precision Medicine Programme for oncology, which has delivered tailored care to more than 250 cancer patients. Together, these initiatives underscore Abu Dhabi's commitment to advancing real-world genomic solutions that improve health outcomes and reduce the long-term burden of by DoH, a high-level delegation has embarked on a strategic mission to the United States from June 15 to 21, delegation conducted over 20 strategic meetings and visits with public and private sector leaders across the US, aimed at knowledge exchange, investment opportunities and the signing of new agreements that accelerate the adoption of advanced health solutions. Representing Abu Dhabi's innovation ecosystem, the delegation includes key stakeholders such as the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, Mubadala BIO, M42, Masdar City, KEZAD, PureHealth, and Etihad Cargo, New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), Khalifa University, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) and startAD.
Sharjah 24
2 days ago
- Sharjah 24
SSSD organises health day for seniors
Health checks conducted for senior women A team of ageing specialists from the CEHA conducted comprehensive medical check-ups for chronic and age-related conditions. The beneficiaries were members of the 'Asala Club' for women aged 60 and above, affiliated with the Elderly Services Centre. Strengthening partnership with the university Asmaa Al Khudari, who is the Director of the Office of Age-Friendly Quality and Health Services at SSSD, highlighted the department's long-standing partnership with the University of Sharjah. She praised the university, especially the CEHA, for focusing on humanitarian and social issues beyond academics. The centre is dedicated to improving the lives of older adults, integrating them into the community, and contributing to the goals of the "Age-Friendly Cities" strategy. She affirmed the department's commitment to offering smart, high-quality services to help older adults remain active Community service and research shared goals Abdulrahman Rashid Al Kaabi, Community Awareness Officer at the CEHA, explained that this initiative is part of a series of events targeting senior citizens in line with the centre's and the Sharjah Age-Friendly City Programme's goals. These goals include community service, which involves raising awareness about ageing issues, enhancing elderly wellbeing through education, supporting independence and safety, and ensuring a continuum of care that allows for ageing. They also include scientific research aimed at establishing the centre as a national and regional hub for training young scientists and studying the prevalence and nature of age-related diseases in the UAE. He also noted the centre's commitment to including members of the Asala Club in its research activities.
