UAE’s Achievements In The Field Of Extracorporeal Life Support, Position It As A Global Leader In Complex Medical Care

The 11th Annual SWAAC ELSO Conference (South West Asia and Africa Chapter of the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization) commenced in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, with over 1,000 international expert researchers and clinicians in the field of extracorporeal life support (ECLS) in attendance.

The three-day conference started with a key note address from Dr. Duane Caneva, Advisor to the Executive Director of Center of the Emergency Preparedness and Response Centre [CEPAR], who gave a comprehensive overview of the DOH vision for the health system as a whole with place of ECMO in it.The opening ceremony was attended by Dr. Rashid Obaid Al Suwaidi, Executive Director of the Health Workforce Sector at the Department of Health, Abu Dhabi, Dr. Salama Bin Rafeea, Executive Director for the CEPAR, Department of Health, Abu Dhabi, as well as the leaders of CCAD and SKMC. The chairpersons, Drs Salman Abdulaziz and Vivek Kakar, in their opening remarks, highlighted the role the DOH, Abu Dhabi is playing in leading and coordinating provision of complex care including ECMO, in partnership with the regional stakeholders.

“These workshops are specifically designed to instruct participants in catheterisation techniques and address common complications associated with the extracorporeal life support (ECLS) programme,” he added.

On the first day of the conference, three main sessions focused on research findings in 2024, global and regional updates in ECMO. Sessions also discussedrole of ECMO in patients with severe heart failure and monitoring tools in these patients. These expert talks were delivered by Speakers from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Netherlands, Canada, India, Australia, United States, Italy, and France.

Concurrently with the conference two workshops, one on pediatric ECMO and other on cannulation on ECMO were organized and concluded with excellent feeback from over 50 attendees.

On the sidelines of the Conference, a range of devices and technologies in the domain of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, mechanical circulatory support were exhibited.

The Conference has received the endorsement of Department of Health, Abu Dhabi, Department of Culture and Tourism , Abu Dhabi. Additionally, the DoH has formally accredited the conference, designating 22.55 hours for the purpose of continuing medical education and 44 hours for workshops.