In continuation of strategic cooperation in several projects related to the health sector between Abu Dhabi Public Health Cent (ADPHC) and the Institut Pasteur in Paris, an ADPHC delegation headed by His Excellency Matar Saeed Al Nuaimi, Director General of the ADPHC, and a selection of health sector experts, in the presence of Her Excellency Hend Al Otaiba, UAE Ambassador to France, has conducted a scientific visit to the Institut Pasteur, with the aim of discussing international strategies for education, innovation and public health, and understanding the research work system in the institute, as well as its affiliated international institutes from the Pasteur Network.
Her Excellency Hend Al Otaiba said: “UAE is prepared more than any time in the past, to fighting pandemics, providing innovative and preventive solutions to confront pressing health challenges. Through our cooperation with all our partners, and with France in particular, in the framework of the Emirati- French strategic dialogue, the UAE is working to establish more effective and sustainable health systems for the GCC region and the world. This approach is mainly based on boosting innovation and scientific research. Accordingly, we are glad with our partnership with the Institut Pasteur, which is a leading and a global institute in the field of medical scientific research, and which we have been so delighted to visit.”
His Excellency Mattar Saeed Al Nuaimi said: "With the support of the wise leadership, ADPHC continues its pivotal role in supporting one of the main programs for the medical field with the UAE-France Strategic Dialogue programme. Such visit constitutes a close cooperation with the Institut Pasteur, a worldwide leading entity in fighting infectious diseases.
"Such important visit has paved a path for global competition, the development of scientific research and medical education in public health, and the international cooperation we aspire to for fighting communicable diseases, especially the novel ones. Moreover, a specific cooperation agreement has been signed in the field of training and building capabilities within the frame of the MoU that was signed with the institute last July during the visit of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to the Republic of France.
"One of the most important provisions of the agreement is the establishment of bilateral courses and trainings both in Paris and in Abu Dhabi. This will constitute an important event in advancing aspects of health cooperation between the UAE and France to a broader horizon. It will also serve public health programs locally, regionally and globally, and contribute to strengthening the country's position in this field and help achieving sustainable development."
Professor Stewart Cole, President of Pasteur Institute, said: "This cooperation, aiming to increase expertise of Abu Dhabi’s specialists and researchers who work on life science, public health and epidemiology, is in full accordance with the Institut Pasteur’s founding mission to disseminate scientific knowledge for the benefit of human health worldwide.” Professor Stewart Cole added: “This cooperation follows major cooperation agreements closed by France and Abu Dhabi in the fields of health, education and culture such as the partnership between the ADPHC and the AP-HP public hospital group on cardiovascular diseases prevention, the Louvre Abu Dhabi museum and the Sorbonne Abu Dhabi university. It is supported and supervised by both French and Abu Dhabi authorities, namely the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Higher Education and Research.”
The most important outputs of the visit were better understanding of the operational model of the Institut Pasteur, its priority areas as well as long-term sustainability resources, training plans and programs, and the research work system with the Pasteur Network.
It is worth mentioning that the Institut Pasteur is a private, non-profit foundation that aims to prevent and treat diseases, mainly those of infectious origin, through research, education and public health initiatives. It is also specialized in biology, microbes, diseases and vaccines. For more than 130 years, it has been at the fore in the fight against infectious diseases. It also achieved many scientific discoveries that enabled modern medicine to confront diseases.
