Amana Healthcare, UAE IBD Society to improve patients’ lives with bowel diseases

Gulf Time: To improve the quality of life of patients in the UAE who are living with Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis,s and other kinds of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Mubadala Health’s Amana Healthcare has now become the healthcare provider for the UAE IBD Society, collaborating on several stoma-related initiatives, including establishing a support community for IBD patients.

The two parties outlined areas of cooperation to support IBD patients with stomas – an opening in the abdomen that facilitates the removal of waste products from the body. The collaboration entails Amana Healthcare to deliver pre-operative stoma education, stoma site marking, and post-operative stoma care at patients’ homes.

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Sultan bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, and established under the Ministry of Community Development, the UAE IBD Society is committed to supporting patients living with IBD conditions, as well as their families and friends through awareness, suppor,t and education, and being an active voice to advocate for their needs, while helping them lead fulfilling lives.

Teresa Quinn, Amana Healthcare’s Senior Director of Clinical Operations, said: “This is an expected partnership given that the UAE IBD Society and Amana Healthcare share a common focus on supporting both the patients and their families, recognizing their important role and involving them in all aspects of the treatment plan and related decisions. The UAE IBD Society is fulfilling a vital service and we are delighted to leverage our expertise in patient education and specialized care to help deliver educational webinars and establish an IBD stoma community for patients.”

Quinn explains that Amana Healthcare’s multidisciplinary team members include nurses, stoma care and tissue viability specialists, therapists, dietitians, and other experts in adult and pediatric stoma management. Alongside medical care, they offer comprehensive services including meeting patients prior to surgery, preoperative counseling and education, supporting patient recovery during the hospital stay, and enabling early discharge through delivering patient care at home.

Dr. Maryam Al Khatry, founder of the UAE IBD Society and a prominent gastroenterologist, said: “Our Society was formed in part to develop the highest international standards of healthcare services for IBD patients and to provide a platform to raise awareness, promote a healthy culture, and encourage the exchange of knowledge and advice. Working with Amana and exchanging expertise ensure the delivery of exceptional healthcare and support for our members. This, together with establishing an IBD stoma community for patients and educating patients and the community about IBD and stomas, will help us to achieve our goals.”

In addition to patient initiatives and spreading awareness, the UAE IBD Society also supports scientific research into the causes, diagnosis and treatment of IBD and aims to develop a patient registry to get a clearer understanding of IBD locally, in parallel with the health institutions in the UAE.