With funding from the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation for Humanitarian Action and under the supervision of the Emirati Dr. Humaid Al Shamsi, consultant oncology and cancer diseases, associate professor at the University of Sharjah and president of the Emirates Cancer Society, a scientific research has been carried out to benefit cancer patients returning to their countries, including Emirati patients and residents in the country who were following Treat them outside the country.
For this purpose, experts from various sub-specializations in the fields of medicine, surgery and cancer have been invited in the United Arab Emirates to form a task force that is tasked with facing the challenges and proposing recommendations for patients returning from the treatment period during the pandemic of the Corona virus that swept the countries of the world.
Mohamed Haji El Khoury, Director General of the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation for Humanitarian Works, affirmed that since its inception in 2007, the Foundation has been and continues to be health care one of the important pillars of its strategy as it funded and established many health projects such as hospitals and medical clinics in many countries around the world .
Al-Khouri said: "The Khalifa Humanitarian Foundation supports this medical protocol for the returnees who were treated in hospitals outside the country for the health of citizens and residents to raise the efficiency of health services and protect these patients and their homelands from sometimes dangerous complications that can be avoided by supporting more scientific research like this. The scientific research carried out by a medical team from various specialties,
and the priest praised Dr. Hamid Al Shamsi and his great efforts in the field of cancer control as one of the Emirati medical cadres that we are proud of as he was the first citizen doctor who specialized in cancer diseases within the mission of His Highness the President of the State for distinguished doctors and got He received 5 certificates in the field of internal medicine, cancer and oncology from America, the United Kingdom and Canada, and he had a private clinic in the most important international centers specializing in cancer control at the MD Anderson Center at the University of Texas at Houston, USA.
For his part, Dr. Hamid Al Shamsi, consultant of oncology and cancer diseases - associate professor at the University of Sharjah and president of the Emirates Cancer Society said: "The pandemic of the emerging Corona virus (COFED-19) caused a global health crisis at all levels .. Many cancer patients from many countries, including the UAE United Arab, who follow their treatment outside their country , many of whom benefit from the care of their governments for this treatment abroad , but because of the pandemic stopped patients , many treatment suddenly and returned home without completing the treatment of cancer led to the interruption of plans for treatment and they face unique challenges to complete their treatment in their countries.
and Al-Shamsi added that this scientific research was accomplished by discussing the challenges and practical recommendations of cancer patients who return to their country after they were receiving treatment abroad and following up their medical condition through a specific medical protocol that protects these patients.
And Dr. Bob Wolfe, Professor of Oncology and Cancer from MD Anderson International Hospital in Houston - who treats many patients from the Gulf in general and from the UAE in particular - said that the research will contribute to educating all cancer therapists in the world about taking the correct procedures to follow up on treating cancer patients and the way Transferring treatment plans to their countries during this global epidemic.
Dr. Martin MacMans, Head of Tissue Department at Burjeel Medical City Hospital stated that this research is the first specialized research in the field of cancer patients returning from abroad to continue their treatment in the UAE and expressed her happiness to participate in this unique work and praised the team led by Dr. Hamid Al Shamsi Who made these recommendations - requiring several months of work - in less than 3 weeks.
Dr. Talib Al Mansouri, Assistant Professor in the Radiology Department at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences at the United Arab Emirates University, stated that these scientific researches are very important to develop the health sector in the UAE and enhance patients' confidence in our health system, which has proven its ability to deal with the most severe health challenges of the Corona pandemic.
The team, consisting of experts in the fields of medical oncology, hematology, surgical oncology, radiation oncology, histology, radiology and palliative care, summarized the current challenges .. Practical methods were proposed to address specific challenges in order to improve the care of cancer patients returning home.
The team concluded that the lack of medical documents, histopathological samples and x-rays is one of the most important constraints to the continuity of care for returning cancer patients and that the difference in approaches and treatment recommendations between treated oncologists located abroad and oncologists in the United Arab Emirates regarding the best way to treat these cases .. and that these differences must be addressed through early communication with patients and by involving former therapists in planning treatment based on the resources and expertise available in the UAE.
It is worth noting that the interruption of radiation therapy schedules - which may increase the risk of treatment failure - was a major challenge and in these circumstances consideration should be given to calculating the dose of radiation therapy compensation.
The study indicated that accurate clinical delivery is of great importance and therefore there is an imperative need for regulatory bodies to avoid what can be considered an immoral measure towards returning cancer patients with no effective and safe delivery .. Hence, clear and transparent communication is of utmost importance to gain confidence Patients and their families.
In this context, it will be necessary - according to the study - to conduct future studies to address the steps aimed at keeping cancer patients in the Emirates instead of seeking treatment for cancer patients abroad.
The experts in this study discussed some of the challenges and practical recommendations of cancer patients returning to the United Arab Emirates from treatment abroad and indicated that this problem is a temporary problem, but it is important to reach a consensus on the best approach to care for this group of patients and provide the necessary guidance to them In light of the challenges they face during these difficult days ... Hence, clear and transparent communication is of the utmost importance to win the confidence of the returning patients and their families .. This confidence will ensure the ability of patients and their families to build a good relationship with the medical team treating the sick cases.
The medical team supervising the research concluded that it is necessary in this context to conduct future studies to address the steps aimed at keeping cancer patients in the Emirates to receive treatment instead of requesting it abroad.