The three-day SEHA International Pediatric Conference opens today at Danat Al Ain Resort welcoming more than 400 regional and international healthcare professionals. This annual conference is organised by SEHA, Tawam and Hospital Al Ain Hospital.

The conference provides a venue for sharing knowledge and experience among practitioners, local and international, in the field of pediatrics and to discuss the most up-to-date, evidence-based pediatric practice.

Dr. Ali Al Obaidli, Group Chief Academic Affairs Officer at SEHA said: SEHA boasts of the largest Pediatrics services in the UAE and the region. It is our resolve to provide world-class and up-to-date care and thus, we are actively involved in the education and training of healthcare practitioners in our entire network. SEHAs consultants and specialists are also dedicated to the mission of teaching interns, residents and medical students evidence-based, patient-centered care. Through this conference, we aim to help add to the expertise and knowledge of our practitioners and for them to take away invaluable lessons. This conference is part of our excellence drive.

Aiman Rahmani, MD, FAAP, Chairman of the conference and Department of Pediatrics, Consultant Neonatologist at Tawam Hospital, said: In our constant efforts to raise the bar in UAE medical care, the International Pediatric Conference encourages our industry peers to share knowledge and learn from each other in the pediatric specialty. At Tawam Hospital, we are proud to have supported this conference over eight editions, but more importantly we are proud to be able to welcome our fellow pediatric healthcare practitioners from across the region to Al Ain. These delegates have shown that they are eager to enhance their skills and provide a higher standard of care for children and parents in their communities.

Over the course of the three day programme, innovations and best practices in pediatric care will be shared with sessions covering General Pediatrics and most of pediatric specialties including Neonatology, Nephrology, Pediatric surgery, Ophthalmology, Orthopedic, Dentistry, Hematology and Oncology, Pediatric Emergency, Endocrinology, Cardiology, Dermatology, Immunology, Metabolic, Adolescent medicine, Pulmonology and Infectious diseases. This year, guest speakers from more than 10 hospitals and universities from five countries will be attending the conference, including guests from Tawams affiliate hospital, Johns Hopkins, in the USA.

Highlights for the 2015 conference include the presentation of a record number of clinical studies covering the latest advances in clinical pediatrics. Topics are presented in the plenary sessions and the programme also incorporates breakout sessions for smaller discussion groups.

Dr Ghazal Balhaj, the deputy conference chairman and the Chair of the Pediatric Department at Al Ain Hospital said: Pediatric care is a subject that many of us in the healthcare profession are passionate about. Caring for the youngest members of our communities and supporting their families through what can be harrowing times tests our strengths as doctors, nurses and managers, and challenges us to find new and better ways of healing and caring.

That is why learning from our renowned expert speakers in various fields of pediatrics as well as from our delegate colleagues from across the region at this conference is an invaluable resource. It is through this type of meaningful engagement and interaction with those who understand the challenges faced by sector specialists that we are able to learn to provide a better standard of care for our patients, and grow as medical professionals.

Tawam and Al Ain Hospitals are part of the SEHA Health System owned and operated by Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA) which is responsible for the curative activities of all the public hospitals and clinics of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

SEHA owns and operates 12 hospitals with 2,644 beds, more than 60 ambulatory care, family care and urgent care centers and two blood banks. It is also one of the largest integrated healthcare providers in the Middle East with more than 17,000 doctors, nurses, ancillary care and administrative personnel in its employ. SEHA owns and operates the largest Pediatrics Services in the UAE and the region.

The networks comprehensive care for child patients includes Medical Pediatrics, Pediatric Oncology, Pediatric Surgery, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and Pediatric Extended Care Unit. With its multi-disciplinary team, SEHA also covers a wide spectrum of pediatric sub-specialties both for inpatient and outpatient bases.

SEHA has three pediatrics residency programmes accredited by the ACGME-I where young physicians are trained to be on par with their peers in the top international centres.