(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Princess Haya said there was growing evidence that the current global healthcare system would be unsustainable if unchanged in the next 20 years.
Dubai — Needs of the elderly in the UAE cannot be fulfilled without their involvement in designing and delivering efficiencies to them said Princess Haya bint Hussein wife of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Princess Haya who is also the chairperson of Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) was delivering the keynote lecture on Advancing Geriatric Care in the Middle East in the Leaders for Healthcare Conference that took place on Thursday the last day of the four-day Arab Health Congress.
“We must think realistically for the needs of our ageing” she said.
Addressing the audience she said: “I ask you two of my favourite questions. The first is; “If you have lost a respected member of the family early in life what would you most like to show them if they were to come back today”
And the second question is: “As we progress what is the true lesson you have learnt”
“The UAE has come far in delivering healthcare to our rapidly growing population changing demographics and diseases resulting from our changing lifestyle habits. Yet despite our efforts latest statistics suggest that we still have much to do” she said.
She added: “At least 26 per cent of deaths in the UAE are due to heart attacks and diabetes. Twelve per cent of our children are also affected and that is a very sobering statistic. Across the emirates particularly Dubai we are interested in the best healthcare in collaboration with the alternative healthcare professionals to keep our nation healthy and disease-free. Together we strive to do this patient-centric care to ensure that institutional resources and personnel are organised around the patient rather than around specialised hands.
“So how do we provide patient centric outcomes” These are important questions that have attracted intellectual minds for decades she added.
Princess Haya said there was growing evidence that the current global healthcare system would be unsustainable if unchanged in the next 20 years.
“Almost universally healthcare is threatened by increasing demand and rising costs and low quality and most importantly without incentives. If ignored healthcare systems will be overwhelmed and there will be financial devastation for countries and escalating health problems.”
Healthcare is changing and the most obvious changes is the impact of ageing. Today approximately 12 per cent of the world’s population roughly 800 million people are aged over 60. By 2050 the numbers will reach two billion which is 25 per cent of the world’s population.
“However with ageing comes a decline in health that stretches healthcare resources. This added pressure if not handled properly will lead to a crisis in healthcare.”
“Our healthcare systems need to be designed in such a way as to be flexible to foresee change in disease patterns and cope with burning demand but most of all to be able to continue to provide services” she added.
In order to make healthcare systems safe we must understand the challenges that an ageing population presents to our healthcare and healthcare systems said Princess Haya.
“We must have a clear vision of what these systems will look like not only in the immediate future but also in the next three to four decades.”
She said: “Perhaps the most fitting description of patient centric care is seeing the world through the patients’ eyes. Only then we will be sure that we have designed a system that meets their needs.”Government projects must also be strategically deployed to satisfy demands and encourage high quality and safety as best patient outcomes.
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