Sheikh Sultan witnesses launch of 'Sharjah Next: Healthcare' series

His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, witnessed on Wednesday morning — in the presence of Her Highness Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SPARK) - the launch of the global series "Sharjah Next," with the inaugural edition dedicated to innovation in healthcare.

- Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Delivering the opening address, Hussain Al Mahmoudi, CEO of SPARK, emphasised the Park was established to make Sharjah a true home for science, a beacon for research, and a bridge connecting knowledge with practical application.

Sheikh Sultan attended the first panel discussion featuring Prof. Sir Magdi Yacoub, world-renowned heart and chest surgeon, and Director of the Magdi Yacoub Heart Research Institute, UK and Dr. Humaid Al Shamsi, CEO of Burjeel Institute for Oncology; Dr. Vladimir Ivkovic, Director at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

Sir Magdi Yacoub highlighted shared factors between cardiovascular diseases and cancer, stressing their ongoing pursuit to find innovative medical solutions that can reduce human suffering and global mortality rates. He revealed that 80% of the burden of such diseases falls on developing nations, delaying access to quality healthcare for millions.

He reflected on recent advancements in heart transplantation — innovations that seemed unimaginable a century ago — noting how technologies continue to evolve, making transplants of hearts, valves, and tissues more effective and life-sustaining.