Move comes as a response to increasing birth and premature birth rates at Abu Dhabi Hospitals

Abu Dhabi, January 24, 2012: Abu Dhabi’s Al Rahba Hospital has announced the addition of 17 new beds to its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) increasing the total number of beds to 33. The move comes as a response to the increasing rates of births and premature births at Abu Dhabi hospitals, and is part of Abu Dhabi Health Services Company PJSC’s (SEHA) plan to develop its infrastructure in its various facilities with aims to offer the best in healthcare services.

Al Rahba Hospital is owned and operated by Abu Dhabi Health Services Company PJSC (SEHA) and managed by Johns Hopkins Medicine International.

Commenting on the expansion, Timothy Dentry, CEO of Al Rahba Hospital, said: “The expansion of the NICU will help us welcome more babies especially with recent statistics showing an increase in birth rate throughout the emirate of Abu Dhabi. There is a need in the different hospitals for more NICU beds and we at Al Rahba are doing our part in ensuring that the healthcare sector in the emirate offers the best practices.”

The NICU section has been added up with 17 three-leveled new beds and 2 isolation rooms. With all types of care required for premature and full term babies available in this unit, the NICU can accommodate 24 weeks premature gestation. Modern technologies have been also introduced in the new NICU unit including cooling for asphyxiated babies, new units of ventilation and high quality monitors.  The expanded NICU is also characterized by proper lighting suitable for babies as well as spacing between beds for better infection control.

Mohamed A. Al Daheri, Deputy CEO of Al Rahba Hospital said: “The features of the NICU will ensure a healthy and medically appropriate atmosphere for babies. The monitoring systems and the availability of our medical staff 24/7 will ease dealing with emergencies and monitoring the babies’ conditions during their stay.”

Al Rahba Hospital sees an average of 2000 births annually. Last year, the hospital admitted 300 babies to its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Most of these babies were preterm and having extremely Low Birth Weight. While the causes of premature births are not always entirely clear, it is believed that some cases may be due to the underlying illnesses in the mother. Some mothers have high blood pressure, or diabetes, or develop complications during pregnancy, and these may all be contributing factors. On the other hand, some mothers are perfectly healthy and have a normal pregnancy, and yet still deliver prematurely.

List announced during the “Global Summit on Entrepreneurship” in Istanbul, Turkey

Mr. Mohammed Johmani Founder and CEO of O2 Network receiving the award

Dubai, December 7th, 2011: O2 Network, the conglomerate of marketing communications, public relations, branding and interactive firms, was recently named among the “Arabia Fast Growth 500” list which is announced by “AllWorld Network”. The list was announced during the “Global Summit on Entrepreneurship” that took place in Istanbul, Turkey in the presence of leading business, political and social figures including USA’s Vice President, Joe Biden.

O2 Network was recognized for this award as a result of the vast growth in sales and operations it witnessed between 2008 and 2010, crossing 25%. Mohammed Johmani, Founder and CEO of the O2 Network received the award and expressed his gratitude to the organizers and to the Network’s employees and executive staff.

“It is a privilege for O2 Network to be selected among the Arabia growth 500 list and this is a true testament for the efforts of the employees and their endless ambition to generate further growth every year,” said Johmani. “We have seen a growth in marketing consultancy, public relations, branding, and social media services in the markets we are active in and we expect even more growth in 2012.”

The list included companies from UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Bahrain in addition to companies from Turkey and Pakistan. The companies represent a range of industries from tourism to transportation, film to finance, education to ecommerce.  The majority of the applicant companies are approximately five years old, and the majority of the entrepreneurs plan to establish another company in the next two years.

“AllWorld” Network was established in 2007 by Deirdre Coyle, Anne Habiby and Harvard Business School Professor Michael Porter, after many years of promoting entrepreneurship in the developed and developing worlds. “AllWorld” is a for-profit organization with a mission to find and scale all the growth entrepreneurs of the emerging world, creating the largest information system and network of growth entrepreneurs.  

AED 500 million plant will produce high voltage cables for the region

Dubai – November 29, 2011: H.H. Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, inaugurated Ducab-HV’s new factory today (November 29th 2011) in a ceremony also attended by H.H. Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court. The joint venture between Ducab (50%), ADWEA (25%) and DEWA (25%) offers High Voltage cable systems up to 400 kV. The plant, whose 148m tall vertical extrusion tower has become a Jebel Ali landmark, will be the first dedicated high voltage facility in the region, and will increase Ducab’s production capacity by 15,000 tonnes of conductor. Senior managers from the joint venture partners and other regional leaders were also present at the event.

“We are very proud that Ducab-HV has opened as scheduled and we extend our heartfelt thanks to H.H Sheikh Mohammad for his presence and support. Ducab-HV will benefit the UAE economy by offering an excellent quality alternative to imports. Ducab-HV products will cover the highest voltages used in the GCC, ensuring that our utility partners and other customers can source vital energy infrastructure cables from a local supplier. When fully operational, the factory will also generate 130 new jobs, which means more opportunities to hire and develop UAE Nationals,” said Ahmad Al Shaikh, Chairman of Ducab and Ducab-HV.

Machine installation for the plant was completed earlier this year, and extensive commissioning testing was also finished to schedule. Most of the machinery at the HV plant has been sourced from European suppliers, and their experts provided assistance to the Ducab Project Team during commissioning and installation.

The most notable feature of the Ducab-HV plant is its 148m tower (equivalent to a 44 storey residential tower) housing state of the art extrusion equipment. It is the tallest industrial tower in the GCC, and is designed to ensure that the High Voltage cables are manufactured to the highest quality standards.  In addition to the extrusion equipment the tower also contains a series of Clean Room facilities to ensure no contamination occurs during production.

“Ducab-HV will offer the latest in global HV technology to the UAE and the region.  The plant is the most advanced in the region and is designed to ensure that the high voltage products are manufactured to the stringent quality standards demanded both regionally and internationally. All products will be rigorously tested at the state of the art High Voltage Laboratory, a specialised facility that also gives the capability for advanced research and development in high voltage systems.” said Jon Vail CEO of Ducab HV.

Abu Dhabi - Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011 - More than five hundred leading health-care professionals and officials from many countries will discuss women’s health issues at the 2nd annual National Women’s Health Conference organized by Al Rahba hospital on November 25th and 26th at the Intercontinental Hotel in Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi’s Al Rahba Hospital is owned and operated by Abu Dhabi Health Services Company PJSC (SEHA) and managed by Johns Hopkins Medicine International.

“We are proud to host our Second National Women’s Health Conference and to be able to bring the latest updates in women’s health to health care providers in the UAE,” says Nellie Shuri Boma, M.D., M.P.H, ACPE, program director and chief medical officer of Al Rahba Hospital, who will lead the event. “Forums such as this demonstrate our hospital’s commitment to providing world-class health care to the local community and beyond. We hope that this conference will help local health care experts to stay abreast of the latest research in this area and will encourage them to share this knowledge with their peers.”
 
Presentations will focus on strategies to reduce morbidity and mortality rates in women, and the latest advancements and innovative approaches in preventing and treating some of the most prevalent conditions affecting women. Experts from Johns Hopkins Medicine, Health Authority Abu Dhabi, Al Rahba and other SEHA hospitals will focus on a variety of topics ranging from the recent updates on Breast Cancer to the importance of having Baby Friendly Hospitals.

Power cables manufacturer supports 2nd Annual Middle East Fire Safe 2011 as part of safety promotion strategy

Dubai – October 24, 2011: Ducab, one of the leading manufacturers of high-quality power cables and wires in the Middle East, has announced a series of training and awareness sessions conducted in cooperation with the International Copper Association (ICA) to raise the level of awareness on making buildings electrically safe. The ICA is the apex body that promotes the application and use of copper across various industry sectors. A series of sessions have been hosted in Abu Dhabi and Dubai respectively in September 2011 and will be followed by more sessions for the other Emirates.

Ducab has also supported the 2nd Annual Middle East Fire Safe Conference 2011, where it showcased a range of high safety cables including the entire Fire Performance range of cables and wires in addition to its range of HV, MV & LV cables, Ducab Smokemaster LSF- low smoke and fume cables, Instrumentation and Pilot cables, Control and Auxiliary cables, Wiring cables and Lead-sheathed cables for the oil, gas and petrochemical sector. The highlight of the event was the DuFlex range of flexibles designed and manufactured to the most recent safety standards including BS 6004, BS 6500 and IEC 60227.

“Ducab has always been a proponent of planning efforts that lead to electrically safe building. It is extremely important to have smart wiring with well-planned points, independent circuits, cabling of the correct rating, and good earthing”, said Colin McKay, Head of Sales & Marketing at Ducab. “It has been observed that there are some flexible cables and wires being imported and offered for sale through the market’s unorganized sector to MEP contractors, which do not comply with the proper internationally approved safety standard for such a product. The substandard wires & cables are bound to fail over time and thus pose a huge hazard on the residents of any building wired using these non-conforming products; causing fatal accidents including death in some cases.”

As a UAE National company, Ducab has taken the initiative to partner with government bodies in control of approving projects - such as DEWA, DM Laboratories, Civil Defense and ESMA – to jointly alert all the governing entities on a very serious issue within the UAE cables and wires market.
 
“Ducab invests a lot of time and energy in raising awareness with the industry experts to eliminate unsafe unapproved imports of wires and cables in this market which is the prime reason of many fire incidents”, he added.

“We are involved with Ducab’s safety demonstrations, to highlight the suitability of copper in preventing fire hazards and promoting building safety. Electrical wiring made of pure copper has low resistance and high current carrying capacity. This enables it to withstand heavy electrical loads with ease. The ICA recommends using pure copper wires when planning electric circuits in such a way that eliminates the use of poorly recycled copper in building wire, overloading of plug points, improper earthing practices and using wires of incorrect diameter and load carrying capacity,” said Ravinder Bhan, representing ICA.

Ducab accords highest priority to health & safety in all installations and thereby strongly urge the consultants & specifiers to strictly adhere to the international safety norms by specifying BASEC /LPCB approved or equivalent Fire Performance cables and DuFlex wires for all electrical installations. The company’s Fire Performance Cables are intended for applications requiring circuit integrity during fire. These cables generate very low smoke and are halogen-free, thus helping protect sensitive equipment, improve safety, reduce fire damage to buildings, provides extra time to escape during fire, and thus safeguard invaluable human life. Ducab Connect range of accessories are used by specialist earthing and lightning protection installers, electrical engineers and contractors for a host of sectors including oil, gas, petrochemicals, commercial and civil, construction.

Hospital building and staff shine in pink on October 31st in support of the worldwide cause

Abu Dhabi, October 17, 2011: To combat one of the most serious and deadly women’s diseases in the UAE, breast cancer, Al Rahba Hospital is launching a month-long series of educational activities to mark “Breast Cancer Awareness Month” during the month of October at the hospital. Pink stations have been placed in various locations within the hospital and a team of doctors and healthcare professionals are educating patients/families/ visitors about the importance of breast cancer screening through Self Breast Examination “SBE”, Clinical Breast Exam “CBE” and mammography .

Emphasis is being placed on the fact that regular screening is essential as a secondary prevention strategy.

The activities have been organized under the auspices of the Women’s Health Initiative Program of Al Rahba Hospital and will culminate on the 31st of October with the “PINK DAY” that reflects the support message of this cause through  building decorations and the staff outfits.

Last year, Al Rahba Hospital expanded its landmark Women’s Health Initiative Program by launching a new Digital Mammography unit that specializes in breast cancer detection, helping many women receive the necessary treatments at early stages, as well as permitting fast acquisition and archiving, secondary post-processing, and advanced computer analysis detection (CAD) through its modern digital imaging technology. The screening procedures were also specially designed to accommodate the cultural customs of the region.

“Year after year, we celebrate this month to remind women all over UAE that we are there for them and that we are constantly directing our efforts in medical research, medical technology and treatment towards enhancing their chances of early diagnosis and recovery from breast cancer,” says Dr. Nellie Boma, MD, M.P.H, Chief Medical Officer of Al Rahba Hospital. “We encourage all the women in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and in UAE to visit us for CBE and mammography in order to detect any signs of breast cancer in the early stages.”

Visitors to the stations will be able to pick up information kits and brochures as well as spend valuable time with physicians in order to get their questions and concerns answered.

“Breast Cancer is the number one cause of cancer in women among both nationals & expats living in the UAE,” added Dr. Boma.“SBE, CBE and Mammogram tests are necessary for women aged 40 and above as part of routine screening. Younger women, are also advised to have SBE and clinical breast exam (CBE) as part of their regular health examinations, if they have risk factors.”

The 163-bed hospital in Abu Dhabi, UAE, is managed by Johns Hopkins Medicine International and owned and operated by Abu Dhabi Health Services Company PJSC (SEHA).

Smartphone and tablets lead to surge in app usage in UAE government and private sector

Dubai, October 11, 2011: Smartphone usage in the MENA region is increasing, with almost 70% of Smartphone users expected to upgrade their phone in the next 12 months, according to the AppsArabia Mobile Report – MENA. The report has stated that 82% of customers without a Smartphone want one, and 54% of them will have their first smart phone in the coming 12 months. The report also indicates that the GCC has the highest incidence of multiple Smartphone at almost 41% of the population (34% having 2 smartphones and 7% having 3 or more). This has led to a commensurate increase in app development and use.

Mohammed Johmani, CEO and Founder of O2 interactive (O2i) said: “Smartphone and tablet usage in the GCC is on the rise, which means many more apps are also being created, downloaded, bought and used by millions of users. 7 out of 10 Smartphone users use an app at least once every day and 35% of smart phone users who download apps frequently have bought at least one app in the last 30 days. This makes it very evident that customer engagement and organizational communication will both soon be occurring extensively through apps accessed through Smartphone and tablet devices in the very near future.”

“Tablets are becoming a trend in the GCC in general and in the UAE in particular. Consumers are bringing their tablets to the workplace and using them for their jobs. Salespeople are using them in pitch presentations, while marketers are formulating their campaigns around them,” he said.

The UAE government has realized this, and public sector entities and departments are increasingly utilizing mobile and social media applications to engage and interact with their customers, improving response times and opening channels of communication. This has also spurred interest in apps development, with recent statistics looking at the first three quarters of 2011 showing that the UAE hosts almost 60 percent of the mobile application development in the Middle East region.

“The widespread use of a new generation of smart phones, the increasing computing time spent daily, and the well-developed ICT infrastructure in the UAE, has been a major factor behind the rise of mobile and social media apps in the country,” said Johmani.“The success of apps in the entertainment, music and games industries has motivated government entities to complement web-based services with mobile apps.”

Currently, almost 30 government mobile applications are available in the UAE, and are proving to be beneficial in providing better services to customers faster. The trend of using mobile apps to transact and engage with businesses will soon overcome desktop computing. In the next 2 years, it is expected that customers in the UAE will be able to pay all their bills and request services such as money transfers through their mobile phones.”

“We have been very active in the last quarter developing unique mobile applications and interactive social media games for our customers”, said Johmani. “Our Interactive arm, O2i is working on many projects for government and private sectors. A good example is the SCAD Census challenge that we launched earlier on Facebook, and the Children’s city’s games that were done for Dubai municipality.”

Yet, while apps are in high demand, and the infrastructure for app development is slowly being created, Johmani believes there is a dearth of investors currently willing to support the new market, which means that opportunities are being missed out on.

“The concept of stores such as App Store and Android Market has been growing very impressively in the GCC region,” added Johmani. “Unfortunately, the investors in the Arab world have not paid much attention to this rising era yet. We have ourselves tried to partner with investors many times, have noticed they are only ready to invest once the market is relatively mature. In the western world, for instance in the US, investors had leapt onboard far earlier in the conceptual stages because of their understanding of the sector’s potential.”

O2i, the interactive arm of O2 Network is a Dubai-based digital marketing solution company that provides one stop solution for digital requirements. The company has partnered with several successful clients indifferent industries with a focus on high quality, rapid delivery and excellent performance. O2i specializes in web design and development, search engine optimization, social media marketing, Facebook and mobile apps, email marketing and online advertising. For more information about O2i, please visit: www.o2i.ae

Activity highlights fasting tips for diabetic patients and healthy eating habits to be followed during the Holy month

Abu Dhabi, 22 August 2011

In line with its Ramadan program, Al Rahba Hospital hosted a special education activity in a tent built next to the hospital main entrance. The activity welcomed over 150 visitors from different age groups and highlighted health topics such as controlling Diabetes in Ramadan, healthy eating and fasting tips. The goal of the activity was to reach out to the general public about the importance of monitoring health and regulating eating and fasting during the Holy month and to ensure optimal lifestyle benefits during fasting.

A team comprised of doctors, nurse educators, dietitians, nurses and the Patient and Family Education committee team members interacted with the patients. Handouts and healthy cooking recipes were distributed to the patients and the doctors made sure that the patients’ questions about do’s and don’ts in Ramadan were answered.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Nellie Boma, Chief Medical Officer at Al Rahba Hospital said, “Ramadan is a time where people have the chance to regulate their eating habits and monitor their dietary intake. There are a number of steps that can be followed to enjoy a healthy Ramadan, and Al Rahba will ensure that this message reaches a large segment of Abu Dhabi residents. We are working closely with SEHA to launch several health campaigns during the Holy month.”

One of the topics discussed during the event was the consumption of caffeine. Although there’s an urge to stay awake for long hours during night in the Holy Month, caffeine drinks like tea, coffee, and cola should be taken in moderation as caffeine is a natural diuretic, stimulating faster water loss. This effect will remain until the following day.  Anything that is heavily-processed is also not going to give the body everything it needs to stay healthy. 

“Caffeine intake, healthy meals for diabetic patients and a long list of health tips to follow during the Holy month were major parts of this event and received a vast interaction from the audience.  We’re reaching out to the community to ensure that healthcare needs are met during this holy and spiritual month, and we wish everyone a happy – and healthy- Ramadan,” Dr. Boma concluded.

The 163-bed hospital in Abu Dhabi, UAE, is managed by Johns Hopkins Medicine International and owned and operated by Abu Dhabi Health Services Company PJSC (SEHA).

Andrew Shaw, Ducab Managing Director

Dubai, August 10th, 2011 - Ducab, the leading manufacturer of high-quality power cables in the Middle East, today announced record sales of AED 2.4 billion for the first 6 months of 2011 – a 50% increase on last year, and volume growth of 13.5%.  Cables sales led the way with AED 1.4 billion and copper products, Ducab’s newest product line, accounted for the balance. The sales growth was driven by strong sales in all GCC markets with the UAE, and especially Abu Dhabi, providing significant growth.

“We are pleased with the results although market conditions remain very competitive and pricing still has a long way to go before margins are restored to reasonable levels. We are optimistic that these volumes are yet another positive sign that the UAE and regional economies are recovering”, said Andrew Shaw, Managing Director, Ducab.

Despite continued high copper prices affecting working capital, Ducab’s cash flow remained positive in the period with the company repaying AED 302 million of loans, compared to AED 73 million in the previous year.

Looking forward to the second half of the year, Ducab is working to complete the final commissioning of the AED 500m joint venture with DEWA and ADWEA. The new plant extends Ducab’s product range into the Extra High Voltage cable segment - manufacturing cable systems up to 400kv.  First sales are expected in the second half of the year.

Renowned marketing award for home-grown UAE industrial brand

Dubai, July 13, 2011- Following on from the recent announcement of record sales of AED 3.6bn for 2010, Ducab—one of the leading manufacturers of power cables in the Middle East—has now earned its third consecutive recognition as a UAE Superbrand.  The company was one of the few Industrial brands honoured with the recognition as a Superbrand – an award for marketing excellence more normally associated with well known consumer and retail businesses.

Andrew Shaw, Managing Director of Ducab, said, “We are absolutely delighted to be recognised as a Superbrand for the third year running. It’s a wonderful tribute to the hard work from everyone involved – and a reward for the effort that we have put into building enduring partnerships with our customers and remaining true to our core principles – Quality and Value. We are an industrial B2B company and are surprised and pleased that our message has been so well recognised in the UAE market. It’s a tribute to our UAE distribution partners who have actively promoted the brand alongside us.”

Ashish Chaturvedy, Marketing Manager at Ducab, said, “Ducab was one of two industrial brands voted as ‘Superbrands’ this year and we strive towards fulfilling all aspects of a true Superbrand- superior return for investors; a reason to buy for customers and a reason to drive to work every single day for those who make it and deliver it. Ducab’s efforts to position the brand through strong marketing campaigns, continuous customer communication and world-class customer service have paved the way for the company to be among the winners”. 

“Superbrands” were chosen through an online voting system polling customers and senior executives across the UAE as well as a high profile jury that included H.E. Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Colm Mcloughlin- MD, Dubai Duty Free and Iain Potter- VP Marketing, Unilever. Only brands that won over 80 percent of the votes were considered for the award.

Mr Ramaseshan, Marjan Cables – a long time Ducab distributor said, “We congratulate Ducab on winning the Superbrands award again. We are very proud and delighted but not at all surprised.  Ducab works very hard on ensuring that business partnerships are long term and mutually beneficial and we both benefit from the strong Ducab brand in the market. The Ducab Sales and Marketing team is always developing innovative ideas to support our business – for instance the recent   “Wire to win DPL – Go see IPL” cricket promotion, which helped to further brand awareness and sales.”