Regional Reference Lab for Infectious Disease (RLID-AD) of Purelab, a subsidiary of PureHealth – the region’s largest integrated healthcare platform - has been recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) for its contributions to strengthening laboratory capacity in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
The RLID-AD (also known as the surveillance lab), received the top honour at the third Scientific Conference of WHO Eastern Mediterranean Acute Respiratory Infection Surveillance (EMARIS) Network, held recently in Muscat.
According to Purehealth, the lab had played a key role in the region’s ability to detect and track infectious diseases, particularly during Covid.
PureHealth operates 25+ hospitals, 100+ clinics, 160+ labs, multiple diagnostic centres, insurance solutions, pharmacies, health tech, procurement, investments, and related businesses in the UAE.
During the pandemic, RLID-AD received international repute for its support in sequencing SARS-CoV-2 virus strains. The lab provided sequencing capacity to different countries which have limited lab resources and expertise, enabling the detection and surveillance of circulating strains in these countries.
This most recent recognition comes in line with Abu Dhabi’s efforts throughout the pandemic, as it was recognised as the world’s top pandemic-resilient city, by Deep Knowledge Analytics (DKA), a London-based DeepTech analytical subsidiary of Deep Knowledge Group (DKG), for two years in a row between 2020 and 2022.
The recognition reflects the emirate’s comprehensive, efficient and timely COVID-19 pandemic response that reinforced Abu Dhabi’s healthcare sector as a leading model regionally and internationally.
Dr Farida Al Hosani the Executive Director of the Infectious Disease Sector at Abu Dhabi Public Health Center, said: "This recognition is an important reflection of our commitment to the people of Abu Dhabi, to whom we promised we would deliver world-class health practice and a result of collaborative work between ADPHC and RLID-AD to expand testing capabilities that have proven its worth during the pandemic."
"We are honoured to be part of this recognition and will continue to strengthen our surveillance and testing for infectious diseases. We believe that this is a key component of infectious diseases preparedness plans," he noted.
Purelab CEO Arindam Haldar said: "We are committed to improving public health outcomes and are honored to receive this recognition from the WHO. This falls in line with the directives, vision, and commitment of the PureHealth Group to provide the best standards of laboratory and diagnostic services to shape medical outcomes."
"This recognition is an endorsement of the standards set at a Group level. We will continue to strengthen the laboratory capacity in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and support our partners in the fight against the spread of infectious diseases," he stated.
Ever since it was designated as the National Influenza Center in 2017, RLID-AD has played a critical role in establishing influenza surveillance at a national level and has collaborated with WHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US, helping in detecting and preventing the spread of influenza strains in the region, he added.
Dr Zain Al Yafei, Chief Medical Officer at Purelab, said RLID-AD was focused on providing cutting-edge laboratory services to ensure the highest quality of patient care in the region.
"We are grateful for this recognition from the WHO, as it motivates us to continue our efforts in providing high-quality laboratory services to help control and prevent the spread of infectious diseases in the region," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
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