Dubai: The 13th Emirates Orthopaedic Society Meeting continued today in Dubai, held in conjunction with the First Gulf Knee Course. The event saw broad participation from leading international surgeons and consultants, with discussions covering the latest advancements in joint and fracture surgery, artificial intelligence, and robotic-assisted procedures.
According to Emirates News Agency, participants expressed strong appreciation for the health initiatives launched under the guidance of the UAE’s leadership, most notably the ‘Dubai Mallathon’ initiative introduced by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai. The initiative aims to transform major shopping malls into safe, climate-controlled running and walking tracks during the summer months.
Doctors emphasised that the initiative represents a significant step toward reducing injuries associated with physical inactivity and muscle weakness during the hot summer season. Experts at the conference also highlighted the UAE’s advanced position as a leading hub for medical tourism, noting that global patient confidence in the national healthcare system has surged since the COVID-19 pandemic. They added that a growing segment of residents, particularly Europeans, now prefer to undergo surgery in the UAE due to the high quality of care and the availability of cutting-edge medical technologies.
Dr. Ali Al Belooshi, Conference Chairman and President of the Emirates Orthopaedic Society, announced a strategic partnership with one of the event’s global sponsors that will enable the immediate adoption of any new product approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the UAE without delay. He noted that this privilege provides surgeons in the UAE with direct access to the world’s latest technologies, robotic systems, and artificial joints as soon as they become available-an opportunity not accessible in many countries due to lengthy evaluation and approval processes.
Dr. Al Belooshi confirmed that the UAE is witnessing notable growth in joint replacement surgeries, stating that approximately 2,500 knee replacements and 1,000 hip replacements are performed annually. He added that lifestyle changes and the nature of certain injuries play a major role in the increasing demand for these surgeries. ‘In the UAE, we experience an extended, extremely hot summer lasting nearly three months, during which people have limited mobility. This leads to muscle and bone weakness. When September arrives, many return abruptly to sports activities-often through intense training sessions with personal trainers-which results in a variety of injuries,’ he explained.