Today's Edition
SAMIHAH ZAMAN (ABU DHABI)
Abu Dhabi is once again welcoming leading medical experts from across the globe as part of its initiative to ensure the provision of premier health services in the emirate.
The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) recently announced that a pair of top-tier specialists are headed to the emirate this month under its Visiting Physicians Programme.
According to the authority, Dr Jaap-Jan Boelens, chief of paediatric transplant and cellular therapy service at New York's Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, will see patients in Abu Dhabi on June 22 and 23.
The expert, who specialises in the treatment of paediatric cancer, rare blood diseases, paediatric cellular therapy, and bone marrow transplants, will offer medical consultation and treatment at the Yas Clinic in Khalifa City.
Professor Oliver Verborgt, head of orthopaedic services at Belgium's AZ Monica Hospital, will also visit Abu Dhabi, seeing patients on June 27 and 28 at the Tarmeem Orthopaedic and Spine Specialty Hospital.
Professor Verborgt has over 25 years of experience in orthopaedic procedures, and specialises in shoulder and elbow surgery, as well as in the management of sports injuries.
Care Close to Home
Launched in 2021, the Visiting Physicians Programme aims to provide world-class healthcare services in Abu Dhabi, eliminating the need for patients to travel abroad for treatment, and enabling them to be surrounded by support networks during the recovery process.
Since the beginning of 2025, Abu Dhabi has welcomed 47 visiting medical specialists and consultants, the DoH has said. These experts carried out 270 complex surgeries and provided consultation to 2,200 patients with rare medical conditions.
In its most recent milestone, the programme saw the completion of a paediatric cardiac biopsy at the Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC) in the capital. The procedure was undertaken in order to evaluate the cardiac status of a four-year-old patient – Alreem – who had received a heart transplant outside the UAE in 2023.
Dr Rizwan Rehman, Consultant Physician for Paediatric and Interventional Cardiology at SKMC, performed the biopsy alongside Dr Joshua Philip Kanter, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist at Children's National Hospital, US. He said the successful completion of the procedure reflected "growing capabilities in managing complex transplant cases".
"For children like Alreem, who received her heart transplant abroad, being able to undergo follow-up procedures in Abu Dhabi means less disruption and more comfort, surrounded by family, in a familiar environment. That is the kind of impact we strive for every day," he added.
