With 29 per cent of the UAE population suffering from hypertension, health professionals are concerned that the condition is much more prevalent, as many more people are living in denial causing a large number of cases to go undiagnosed. Recent reports from the WHO show that 46 per cent of adults who suffer from hypertension globally, don’t even know that their lives are being adversely affected.

One of the most common conditions, hypertension, can go undiagnosed without any symptoms for years, and constantly increases the risk of serious health problems, including heart attack and stroke.

With hypertension, one’s blood pressure is higher than normal, and it changes throughout the day based on everyday activities. Having blood pressure measures consistently above normal in any individual results in a diagnosis of hypertension. A huge challenge identified by health professionals today is that due to the lack of constant awareness, most people actively ignore getting their blood pressure checked.

To combat this, Merck is raising global awareness on hypertension and its ill effects and discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases making positive difference in millions of lives every day.

“Hypertension remains among the top causes of death and disease throughout the world. If not treated it can cause other major risks such as brain and kidney disease, not to mention strokes and heart attacks. The underlying cause of hypertension varies from one person to another. There are many risk factors for hypertension. One of these high-risk factors is age. The risk for hypertension only increases as we age. Until the age of 64, hypertension is more prevalent in men. Women are more likely to develop hypertension after the age of 65,” commented Prof. Abdullah Shehab, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine.

Prof. Abdullah Shehab

Hypertension can easily be detected through the regular measuring of blood pressure, at home or in a health facility. This medical condition is also easily managed, with a healthy lifestyle, and balanced diet. Merck aims to bring affordable and high-quality medicines to patients and offers a broad range of treatments for hypertension.

“Family history is also a risk factor for high blood pressure as it tends to run in families. Other hypertension risk factors include being overweight, physically inactive, using tobacco, consuming too much salt, and not consuming enough potassium in your diet, drinking too much alcohol, and having certain chronic conditions like diabetes, sleep apnea, and kidney disease,” added Prof. Shehab.

There are many hypertension medications available, yet only 42 per cent of hypertensive adult patients get diagnosed and receive appropriate treatment.

A leader in research and development, Merck strives towards creating disease awareness and the best medicinal alternatives for everyone and delivering top-of-the-line treatments.

In an effort to raise global awareness on hypertension and elevated heart rate, Merck reached to the heights of the Sky with a skydiving act carried out by trained professionals holding the Merck Flag signed by patrons, doctors and employees of Merck, under a global maxim, “Together we take control, together we reach our goal. It was a shout out from the top by Merck urging people to take control of their lives.

“It is important to note that high blood pressure is the main leading cause of premature death globally. More than 8.5 million people die of hypertension yearly, which is why constant awareness is needed,” said Prof. Shehab.

Continuous testing, sterlisation and collaboration, along with other factors, can help the health system to contain the COVID-19 virus, said different speakers during the first day of Medlab Asia & Asia Health - The Virtual Edition.

“Testing has evolved because of differences in the phases, the types of tests we have, types of therapies and differences in geo-regional approaches and strategies,” said Dr Aaron Han, Consultant pathologist, King’s London Hospital Dubai during his session, Quality Guide on Laboratory TestIng of COVID-19.

In his session, Dr Han explained that quality and timeliness of results has been critical to know the questions that need to be addressed, whilst knowing the limitations of the tests and knowing how to communicate the health strategy with the public. 

“It's important in all phases of COVID-19 to understand the testing issues and be able to frame them with a multipronged approach,” he added. Dr Han explained that there are two ways to look at tests, through the variability in ways to test and measure such as the different methods and instruments, different modalities based on the presence of the virus, and the antibodies or antigen. The other way is through the approved options and availability of reagents that is selection of testing platforms often based on availability.

Prof Le Thi Anh Thu, President, Ho Chi Minh City Infection Control Society said, during her presentation in the panel discussion under the title of What are the perceived future requirements to prevent COVID-19, that in Vietnam they have built a smart testing framework that ensured timely test results are available to guide the actions in order to minimise morbidity, mortality and eventually the disease. Nonetheless, she explained that promoting vaccination is one of the most preventive measures.

“We need to change the treatment based on the situation, so try to find effective ways to minimise the impact on daily medical operations and find innovations in medical services,” she added. 

But testing is only one part of the process. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the health sector worldwide has been collaborating not only on the science front but also the operations and logistics such as when there was a shortage in the PPE - which has been a challenge that led health care sectors in some countries to sterlise their one time use equipment and reuse it.

“We suspended some of the laws and reached out to the manufacturers.We studied whether UV light or dry heat sterlisation can sterilise the usage while killing the virus. That was a new situation that we had to adapt to,” explained Damien Berg, Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, The International Association of Healthcare Central Service Material Management (IAHCSMM) in Colorado, during his presentation under the title of Hospital facility management and safety: The new normal.

“The new normal is to bring people together, don’t think you are by yourself,” he added, explaining further that he reached out to other resources to be able to find ways to ensure the safety of the healthcare staff.

“There is a difference between validation and verification. Validation is to validate the process that it goes through, the process is reputable, the process is safe, the process is reliable. Verification is to verify that your equipment, your staff and your people can do that repeatedly,” he explained on how they managed the challenge of shortage of the PPE. 

In certain countries like in the Philippines, that remain under lockdown, the medical staff face other challenges such as helping people cope and understand. 

Arlene Tamayo, the President of the Philippines Association of Central Services and Sterlisation Management (PACSSM) said, during her presentation in the panel session on What are the perceived future requirements to prevent COVID-19, that it is vital to educate the health care workers on their first day. She explained that the behaviour in following the protocols remains at stake. 

Nonetheless to include ventilation and ensure it is within the budget. “The possibility of a good ventilation must be on the budget for the next coming years or the next coming months, our houses, our schools,” she explained.

“Disinfection and sterlisation doesn't need to have to be special in times of pandemic, we need to follow the classification and by then we will still have the same disinfectant,” she added during her panel discussion.

Register as an attendee for Medlab Asia & Asia Health, ASEAN's leading healthcare and laboratory event taking place online on 20-22 October 2021.

In line with the ongoing efforts to enhance patient experience and improve the quality of healthcare and patient outcomes in Abu Dhabi, Malaffi, the region’s first Health Information Exchange (HIE) platform and a strategic initiative of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DOH), announced recently that all public and private hospitals in the Emirate are now connected to the platform. This is an important milestone towards allowing healthcare providers to safely exchange important patient health information in real-time, creating a centralised database of unified patient records.

In addition to all 59 hospitals, 1,100 clinics and medical centres and 380 pharmacies are now connected to the platform. Now over 39,600 doctors, nurses and other members of staff from the 1,539 healthcare facilities across Abu Dhabi have secure access to Malaffi and are enabled to make better-informed and more efficient decisions.

Related: Malaffi receives international accreditations in patient data security

Malaffi provides easier access to medical records in which helps healthcare professionals to save the time and trouble of transferring previous medical records and avoid undergoing the same tests. The platform enables healthcare facilities to be more efficient and better coordinated providing safer care across all the emirates. Malaffi collates 559 million unique clinical records of medical information such as patient visits, medical conditions, allergies, procedures, lab results, radiology reports, vaccination records, vital signs, and medications.

Since the launch of Malaffi over two years ago, the DOH has supported the development of the platform as it plays a pivotal role in the digital transformation of healthcare as part of its strategy committed to adopting digital solutions that support the advancement of the sector in the emirate.

Related: How Malaffi is supporting the coordination and continuity of cancer care

Dr. Hamed Ali Al-Hashemi, Advisor to the Chairman of DOH, said: "Malaffi is one of the most prominent and innovative programs launched by Abu Dhabi to advance the healthcare sector as it continues to adopt digital technology and achieve the highest levels of efficiency and effectiveness regarding the sector. Today, we have been able to develop a pioneering healthcare system that is in line with the most advanced systems in the world. We will continue to work in line with Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 to achieve a healthy society and consolidate the emirate’s position as an incubator for innovation and distinguished digital initiatives, which will positively affect the health and well-being of all members of society.”

Atif Al Braiki, the Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Health Data Services, the operator of Malaffi, said: “Connecting 100% of hospitals in Abu Dhabi to be able to access and share important patient data through Malaffi in under three years is a major accomplishment. Our mission to enable a safe and secure exchange of patient health information across the entire sector is now closer than ever. I am personally glad to see the wide recognition of the value of connected healthcare for the delivery of better care, especially during the pandemic. We are grateful for the support of the DOH and the entire healthcare sector that have been crucial to this success. We look forward to further support the communities of the emirate on their journey to good health, happiness and prosperity.”

DOH continues to lay a solid foundation for a future based on technology, innovation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the emirate’s healthcare sector through a series of initiatives and programmes such as The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Lab, TIP Healthcare Innovation programme Awards, Abu Dhabi’s Workforce Health Management System, Population Risk Management, COVID-19 Predictive Modelling and Capacity Planning Tool along with other digital platforms.

Smoking can damage the lungs and impair the immune system's efficiency; it makes you more vulnerable to respiratory infections and even leads to severe COVID outcomes. Tobacco causes eight million deaths from cardiovascular diseases, lung disorders, cancers, diabetes, and hypertension every year. In addition, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says that smoking impairs lung function, making it harder for the body to fight coronaviruses and other respiratory diseases.

Smoking is associated with comorbid conditions such as respiratory ailments, hypertension, CAD, stroke, cancers, etc., which are often exacerbated due to COVID-19 and remain out of control post- Covid for several weeks and months. In addition, emerging data suggest that e-cigarette use may be linked to a fivefold increased likelihood for a positive COVID-19 diagnosis.

Related: The Shisha Habit: A Global Epidemic

“Though it’s still not very clear whether smokers are more likely to catch coronavirus or not, however, sufficient research has indicated that smokers frequently become severely ill or hospitalised because of COVID-19 infection. Smokers tend to touch their face and mouth more often which increases their susceptibility,” says Dr Raza Siddiqui, Executive Director, RAK Hospital and Founding Member of ARISE, UAE, the Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies, a network of private sector entities led by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).

Several studies have indicated that quitting smoking provides immense benefits. For instance, within 15-20 minutes, the heart rate drops, leading to reduced blood pressure; after 8-10 hours, carbon monoxide in the body starts decreasing, thus increasing oxygen absorption, after 48 hours, the sense of smell and taste improves, after six weeks to three months the risk of heart attack stroke, respiratory disorders etc., also lower drastically. Furthermore, after one year of quitting, the danger of heart diseases and after 10 years, the threat of lung cancer lessens by 50 per cent.

Health effects of passive smoking

Discussing the effects of second-hand smoking, Dr H.S. Wilkhoo, Lifestyle Medicine Specialist at RAK Hospital, explains that the active smoker is considered as a person who smokes, and a passive smoker, also known as a second-hand smoker, is an individual who is close enough to inhale the smoke and suspended tobacco particles in the air.

The active smoker is exposed to numerous chemicals like gases, acids, hydrocarbons, etc., which are directly absorbed into the users' system. In contrast, the passive smoker is exposed to gases and chemicals present in the smoke. The active smoker controls their inhalation, whereas the passive smoker inhales the smoke or suspended tobacco particles during normal breathing.

“Passive smoking is very harmful to certain individuals who have comorbid health conditions, like respiratory ailments, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, etc., and children who have low immunity, pregnant women and partners of smokers,” says Dr Wilkhoo.

“Children are more vulnerable as they have low immunity. During infancy, severe exposure to second-hand smoke leads to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and fatal sleep accidents. Meanwhile, passive smoking in adults who live close to the smoker suffer various health ailments such as reduced blood oxygen saturation, lower levels of antioxidants, vitamins, increased viscosity of blood and increased risk of clot formation. Chronic exposure to second-hand smoke in individuals with comorbid conditions also causes atherosclerosis and lung cancer.”

On September 22nd, Airdoc Technology, a fast-growing start-up offering an AI-driven system that takes and analyses photographic images of the retina, passed listing hearing which means it is going to be the first public-listed medical AI company in China. 

Shukun Tech, another AI-focused start-up focusing on assisting cardiovascular disease diagnosis, filed for IPO on September 21st, joining the growing list of Chinese medical AI companies going public this year.

Related: Omdia: China's healthcare equipment market to hit $600bn by 2025

China health systems are facing significant challenges to meet drastically growing medical demand driven by an aging population and growing patient expectation alongside constrained medical resources. Lack of high-quality healthcare professionals is another pain point.

The average misdiagnosis rate in China stands at 30%, and can be as high as 40% for difficult and complicated cases, especially at more basic medical facilities. The application of AI can alleviate daily administrative tasks for healthcare professionals and support them in clinical decisions, improving the patient outcome. All these factors provide an opportunity for AI application in China healthcare. 

In July 2017, The State Council of China released the New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan. This policy outlines China's strategy to build an AI industry worth more than 62 billion US dollars, driving related industry value worth more than 774 billion US dollars by 2025.

It aims to make China the leading AI power by 2030. Smart healthcare is one of five key AI-based applications alongside smart manufacturing, smart city, smart agriculture, and smart national defense. The “Internet + Healthcare” Initiative (launched in 2018) aims to further drive the digital transformation of China’s healthcare systems.

In January 2020, China FDA granted the first AI medical device license which represented a milestone of medical AI commercialization. Medical AI is applied in a multitude of areas including imaging, drug development, auxiliary diagnostics, and health management. 

The Omdia Healthcare Equipment Database estimates that China is the second biggest medical imaging market in the world (5.72 billion US dollars in 2020). For ultrasound, MRI and CT, it ranks as the top market globally. Currently, imaging is the most common application of medical AI in China. Omdia currently estimates that there are around 150 Chinese medical AI providers, with more than 40% of them focusing on medical imaging. 

At the time of writing, there are more than a dozen AI medical imaging software companies which have been granted a Class III medical device license to support clinical decisions.

In September 2021, Tencent obtained a Class III medical device license for its pneumonia CT imaging software to support triage and assessment, becoming the first internet company in China to obtain a Class III AI medical license. (When software is used to support clinical decisions, it is classified as Class III medical device. For non-clinical decision support purposes, such as data collection and processing, the software is classified as Class II medical device.)

The upgrading of technology infrastructure in China will also support AI adoption. Of all the 5G base stations globally, 59% of them are located in China. As per the latest data released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, 5G smartphone users in China reached 419 million in August 2021 (30% of total Chinese population).  

5G increases the speed and responsiveness of the network, enabling vast data aggregation, remote monitoring and real-time response. The growing prevalence of 5G shall unleash the potential of AI applications in healthcare.

With the number of Chinese medical facilities expanding and healthcare expenditure increasing, the Chinese medical device market shall maintain double digit growth over the next five years.

The government-led “Internet + Healthcare” initiative and state-level AI strategy shall propel the digital transformation of China’s medical systems. Omdia projects the medical AI market in China will reach 6 billion US dollars in 2025 (a CAGR of more than 20%). 

Startups and hi-tech giants alike are embarking on medical AI solution development, becoming new stakeholders in the Chinese healthcare device market. 

As equipment and systems become more connected and integrated, collaboration among healthcare stakeholders will become commonplace. Traditional healthcare equipment suppliers will need to adapt to the digital ecosystem of the Chinese market to survive and thrive.

As observed in the Omdia Healthcare IT – 2021 Topical Report, the future healthcare system will present a very different landscape: from in-hospital care to home-based care; from curing to caring and prevention; from opacity to transparency; and from isolation to connection and collaboration.

Sally Ye is a health care technology analyst at the Healthcare Technology division of Omdia, a sister research brand of Omnia Health. Located in the US, Europe and China, Omdia’s health care team produces a wide range of syndicated and customized reports, including a monthly China Healthcare Market Update, the Healthcare IT Topical Report, and the Healthcare Equipment Database, as well as in-depth reports and analysis on the medical imaging industry.

In terms of financial performance, it’s been a generally positive year for the global healthcare industry. 43% of survey respondents reported an increase in turnover from 2019 to 2020 – compared to just 28% that reported a decrease. A great majority of respondents (81%) are satisfied with the current performance of their business.

Who’s been impacted most?

Manufacturers have had the healthiest year financially, with 49% reporting an increase in turnover, 31% of manufacturers have seen an increase of more than 20%. 47% of agents, dealers and distributors also saw an increase in turnover, 25% reported an increase in turnover of more than 20%.

The story is less positive for clinics and medical practices, 45% of which reported a decrease in turnover, as well as consultancies – 54% of which saw a decrease in turnover.

This sector also had the highest proportion (24%) reporting a decrease of more than 20%.

Does size matter?

The pandemic looks to have impacted smaller businesses slightly harder than larger ones financially, although the spread across different sized businesses is fairly even.

A third of organisations with a turnover of less than US$ 5 million (33%) reported a decrease in turnover, compared to 21% of organisations with a turnover of more than US $100 million. 37% of organisations with a turnover of less than US$ 5 million reported an increase, with the highest rate of increase reported by businesses with a turnover of US $11-25 million at 52%.

Companies with a turnover of US$ 26-100 million saw the biggest increase in exports in 2020, with 26% reporting an increase of more than 20%. More companies with a turnover of US$ 26-100 million reported at least some increase in revenue (50%), compared to 44% of companies with a turnover of more than US$ 100 million.

Smaller businesses are also more likely to be unsatisfied with their current performance, with 23% of those with a turnover of less than US$ 5 million stating they were either not very or not at all satisfied.

Business beyond borders

We also asked respondents what percentage of their company’s revenue is generated outside the country in which their headquarters is located, and overall figures have reduced slightly since December 2019.

46% of businesses now generate all of their income in one country, up from 42% in 2019. For those that generate more than half their income outside of their headquartered country, figures stayed the same, but the number of businesses generating up to half of their income outside their own country has declined slightly since 2019.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, businesses with a larger turnover are more likely to generate more revenue outside their home country, with two-thirds (64%) of those with a turnover of more than US$ 100 million generating at least 25% of their income outside of their home country. This compares to less than half (45%) of companies with a turnover of up to US$ 5 million.

About the report

The Voice of the Healthcare Industry Market Outlook 2021 survey was designed by Informa Markets to understand the impact that the pandemic has had on four key areas of the industry: manufacturers and agents, dealers and distributors; clinics and medical practices; private hospitals and public hospitals; government and health regulators; and charities, non-profits and NGOs.

Through GRS Research & Strategy Middle East we asked 1,600 respondents worldwide about the financial and operational impact of the events brought by the pandemic.

The survey also looked to assess how the industry has responded to the pandemic, and how key players have evolved their business strategy. We also asked participants to reflect on how the future will look, and what key trends they are now anticipating. 

As part of the United Nations General Assembly last month, Facebook hosted a virtual session on ‘Using Social Media to Build Confidence in Vaccines’. The session provided information on vaccine availability and how communicating about vaccines is critical to increasing their uptake worldwide. In addition, this conversation explored the challenges of vaccination communications today and highlighted new opportunities for public-private collaboration to build vaccine demand in more effective ways.

Mistrust and a lack of confidence in COVID-19 vaccines have a damaging impact on ongoing routine immunisation efforts. The session discussed how to counter misinformation and build public trust, confidence, and acceptance of vaccines worldwide. The collaboration between UNICEF, Facebook, Yale, and Public Good Projects (PGP) was also highlighted.

Related: Addressing the COVID-19 infodemic

According to panellist Diane Summers, Senior Advisor, Immunization Demand, UNICEF, since the beginning of the pandemic, the media spotlight has covered the development and rollout of vaccines with both good and negative press. “Without trust and accurate information, people hesitate to get vaccinated. And without people being vaccinated, their lives are at risk, and the virus will continue to thrive. So, vaccines are key to protecting people’s lives and ending the pandemic. But to do that, we need to have public trust and confidence in vaccines. At the same time, people have understandable questions since the COVID-19 vaccine is new.”

She highlighted a recent study of Kenyan youth that found that two-thirds were hesitant to get vaccinated because of the inadequate information available. The youth felt that they would be more likely to get vaccinated if the information was openly shared.

Related: Social trends in healthcare during COVID-19

When asked about how organisations should respond, she stressed that they need to learn, listen, and understand the concerns and issues to develop vaccine communications. The partnership between UNICEF, Facebook, Yale, and PGP is looking to understand behavioural insights and rapidly test messages tailored to different people’s needs. This will ensure that the messages resonate and reassure the public.

Panellist Professor Saad Omer, Inaugural Director of the Yale Institute for Global Health, said: “We have known for a while that vaccine acceptance is a spectrum. On the one hand, there are those who would refuse all vaccines under all circumstances. Fortunately, they are usually a very small proportion of the population. But, on the other hand, there are vociferous acceptors of these vaccines, those who demand vaccines actively and then there are those who are on the fence. In this pandemic, what has been different is that those who demand vaccines actively have been way more vocal than normal,” he explained.

Dr Joe Smyser, CEO, PGP, stressed that how people feel about vaccines reflects their values and place in society. During the middle of an ongoing pandemic, institutions in society are under attack because of a lack of resources. While public health departments, governments and healthcare organisations are trying to respond to a pandemic, they are also trying to respond to misinformation circulating on social media at the same time.

“If firefighters have 15 things to do, in addition to fighting a house fire, that house fire is going to burn brighter and longer than it would have otherwise. The only way we’re going to be able to do that at scale is through partnerships,” he said.

Kang-Xing “KX” Jin, Head of Health, Facebook, said that vaccine hesitancy could be combatted by leveraging the unique properties of AI platforms to get good information out at scale. In terms of specific approaches, there were three things that Jin found to be effective so far. The first is getting people’s questions answered.

He said: “Since the start of COVID-19, over two billion people have gotten credible information about the virus and vaccines on Facebook. In addition, some of our research across five countries found that this messaging resulted in a three per cent increase in beliefs in facts such as COVID-19 vaccines have been tested for safety.”

The second big thing is talking to friends and family about getting vaccines. Experts have said that people are more likely to get a vaccine when they see that people they trust are doing so. The third approach is making it easier to get vaccinated and get access to health services.

He shared that people can now use WhatsApp to find out whether they’re eligible for a vaccine and book an appointment in some countries. For instance, in Indonesia, 500,000 medical workers registered to do this over WhatsApp in the first five days of the service being available. That’s reportedly a third of all healthcare workers in the country.

UNICEF reached out to partners PGP and Yale to set up a vaccination demand observatory to counter misinformation. Each partner brought their unique knowledge and experience to the table. This included social listening, analytics, and behavioural insights generation, and the third was to design effective communication interventions.

Summers explained: “It’s a set up similar to a disease surveillance system, where the partnership sets up social, local level, social listening programmes that can track and analyse people’s vaccine conversations, questions and concerns, and provide recommendations to local-level health agencies to have real-time actionable insights and communication interventions to respond to that misinformation.”

Some of the initial learnings of the partnership were that the mix of images and illustrations work well in this medium and that the content should be context-specific and be tested in multiple languages. Another lesson was that value-based campaigns shifted attitudes towards vaccine confidence across the board and worked as powerful tools to change people’s attitudes. The values that were emphasised in these messages were highly local. The panellists all stressed that in a pandemic situation, for effective communication, language matters.

Clinical hypnotherapy has significantly progressed since an American Medical Association (AMA) report from 1958 conveyed that there can be “definite and proper uses of hypnosis in medical and dental practice” and advised the establishment of “necessary training facilities” in the United States. 

According to Hypnosis in Contemporary Medicine, in 1961 the American Psychiatric Association stated that hypnosis had application in various fields of medicine. Three decades later, The American Medical Association (AMA) published a statement in 1996 from a National Institutes of Health panel stating that there was “strong evidence for the use of hypnosis in alleviating pain associated with cancer."

Related: Mental health in the UAE – how are we coping?

Today, clinical hypnotherapists worldwide such as Peta Cavanagh are supporting patients to overcome fears, phobias, traumas, and challenges through hypnosis. 

 

Is there an emergence of clinical hypnotherapy in the UAE? Are patients receptive?

Since the DHA strategy “happy lives, healthy communities” was launched in line with Dubai Health Strategy 2016-2021 to remove the stigma surrounding mental health in the UAE, there is wider acceptance of seeking support for mental health issues. This in turn has encouraged an acceptance of hypnotherapy within the UAE. According to WHO, the UAE has the highest level of depression in the region, with roughly over 5% of the population being affected. Furthermore, the country also ranks very high for anxiety, with well over 4% of people suffering. There are numerous reasons as to why clinical hypnotherapy is becoming popular in the UAE, with one of the key being a long waiting list for psychologists and psychiatrists. The waiting list can be between three months and six months, and for patients experiencing mental health issues, this can be extremely daunting. Also, we have a large expatriate community in the UAE, who recognise clinical hypnotherapy as an effective form of treatment they have experienced in their countries of origin.  

What is the difference between hypnotherapy and clinical hypnotherapy?

Related: Is the COVID-19 effect on children's mental health deepening?

Clinical hypnotherapy involves a holistic approach, therefore in addition to treating the symptoms, I work with my clients to uncover the source of the problem. For example, many clients may seek treatment under the umbrella of anxiety, chronic pain, or weight loss. These symptoms present a top layer and I highly recommend that clients commit to at least three sessions to uncover the root cause of their suffering. This helps identify triggers and remove any emotional blocks and attachments to trauma which their subconscious is holding onto.

Clinical hypnotherapy complements traditional therapy, making it an important ally. For instance, psychologists and counselors use CBT cognitive behavioral therapy, and clinical hypnotherapists address the subconscious mind. Some psychologists may also use hypnotherapy while treating patients, whereas clinical hypnotherapists may incorporate CBT. In my practice, many clients have been recommended by a psychologist to me, and vice versa. At the same time, many patients may be using both forms of treatment simultaneously. Physicians and surgeons have also recommended their patients seek clinical hypnotherapy. A recent client was suffering from severe chest pains post heart surgery. He was closely examined, and every physical possibility of an ailment was ruled out, he was fully recovered yet still in pain. He was recommended by his cardiologist to seek clinical hypnotherapy. This lends to clinical hypnotherapy being a holistic form of treatment, as a surgeon will ensure that physically a patient is in prime health, but also recognise the challenge for a patient to make the mental leap to recovery. This is where clinical hypnotherapy comes in. 

Clinical Hypnotherapist, Peta Cavanagh

Can clinical hypnotherapy be viewed as a standalone treatment, or does it need to be combined with psychotherapy?

Several patients who have undergone clinical hypnotherapy with me have had a successful rate of overcoming the physical or mental challenges they were facing. From trying to give up smoking or losing weight, there are a myriad of conditions that can be managed and treated with clinical hypnotherapy. I treat patients from a wide age group and work with many children as well who struggle with socialising at school. Especially with younger patients who might find a visit to the hospital overwhelming, clinical hypnotherapy proves to be a comforting option. By practicing mindfulness and mediation within clinical hypnotherapy, younger patients can build their self-esteem and self-confidence, therefore proving to be successful as a standalone form of treatment. 

What disorders or medical conditions can clinical hypnotherapy successfully treat and is most suitable for?

Patients who suffer from trauma, addictions, fear and phobias, anxiety, OCD, ADHD, and PTSD can benefit from clinical hypnotherapy. In terms of anxiety, many teens and children have experienced a pandemic for the first time, wherein their lifestyles were impacted, and they’ve struggled to return to a ‘new normal. For patients with OCD or ADHD, hypnotherapy is calming and helps them identify their quiet space. This is achieved through guided visualisations, which they can also do at home. For post-traumatic stress, I delve into the subconscious and try to detach the connection of the subconscious with the event that took place. It helps the patient to distance themselves from the traumatic event and being able to acknowledge the event without it offsetting triggers during their daily lives.

October 10 marked World Mental Health Day, continuing to raise awareness on mental health and well-being. As the healthcare industry strives to provide quality care across all disciplines during the pandemic, the conversation surrounding mental health is becoming increasingly vocalised to ensure patients do not suffer in silence. According to a study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry, Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19) Lockdown on Mental Health and Well-Being in the United Arab Emirates, which surveyed 4,426 participants, findings indicated that over 36 per cent reported increased stress from work, home, and financial matters. Also, 43–63 per cent of the participants felt apprehensive or helpless due to COVID-19. Females, younger participants, part-timers, and college or university graduates were more likely to have a high Impact of Event Scale (IES-R) score. The score is a measure of post traumatic stress symptoms related to a specific event.

However, the prevalence of depression and anxiety in the UAE was highlighted and published in a 2015 WHO report, reportedly recording the highest level of depression among all countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. “The large volume of people who needed mental health support existed even prior to 2020. In fact, the greatest number of people on our waiting list at The LightHouse Arabia was in October 2019, months before there was any sign of COVID-19. Having said that there was and there is a shortage of mental health providers in the region and most clinics have a waiting list of people that are waiting to be seen by a professional,” explains Dr. Saliha Afridi, Clinical Psychologist and Managing Director at The LightHouse Arabia.

Related: COVID-19 takes a toll on the mental health of entrepreneurs

Although there are limited detailed statistics on mental health, anxiety and depression in UAE are the top 10 causes of ill health, according to a report published by the Ministry of Health and Prevention - UAE (MOHAP). The most diagnosed mental health ailments surfacing among patients, they can also be the byproducts of disorders such as borderline personality and bipolar disorder “Personality disorders can often have a dual diagnosis of ADHD, mood disorders, or substance use disorders. However, there are a lot of people who are misdiagnosed by doctors who are not trained to give psychiatric diagnoses, as well as by people who self-diagnose and self-medicate in the region based on something they read on WebMD. There needs to be more awareness about how a psychiatric diagnosis is given and what are the dangers of a wrong diagnosis. ADHD, Depression, Bipolar I and II, and personality disorders are the most frequent misdiagnoses,” says Dr. Saliha.

Related: Mental health and COVID-19: How are we coping?

Dr. Saliha Afridi, Clinical Psychologist and Managing Director at LightHouse Arabia

Although strides have been made in addressing the well-being of individuals by supporting mental health, studies indicate that there is a burden of social stigma holding patients back from seeking psychological services in the UAE. To help overcome this, MOHAP has launched Hayat (life), a programme for mental health support during the pandemic. Also, the National Programme for Happiness and Wellbeing launched a dedicated telephone counselling hotline to help those with psychological concerns or anxiety. Private clinics such as The LightHouse Arabia also provide free psychologist led support sessions for the community, low-cost group treatments to encourage sustainable methods that tend to the growing need for mental health support, and provide practical webinars and skill-building workshops, which equip people with skill-sets to cope with stress and symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Virtual healthcare is becoming a preferred platform for consultations, highlights Dr. Saliha. “Many patients are opting for online support from therapists in other countries because they cannot find a suitable therapist in their city. People are learning the benefits of the in-person once they have engaged in the virtual therapy process during COVID-19. Virtual healthcare has its benefits and works for certain types of therapies and a specific set of clients. It has helped so many people cope with COVID-19’s lockdown, and allowed people to stay connected with their therapy process no matter where they were in the world. Although we are now back in person, there are those who are busy parents or executives, teens with hectic schedules, and those who struggle to make it into the clinic for medical reasons that are continuing to benefit from online therapy. However, we cannot underestimate the power of co-regulation that is happening between two nervous systems within the therapy room. To have a connected and attuned witness is a key agent of healing and transformation in the therapy process. Also, most people find that their laptops and devices are associated with stress, work, fragmentation, and distraction and do not find it as therapeutic to engage in the therapy process on the device with such association.

"It is important to remember that the journey to the therapist, the safety and confidentiality of the therapy room, and the therapist’s physical presence are all part of the healing and transformation that takes place in the therapy process. Lastly, and importantly, there are some people who are at high-risk due to the severity in their clinical symptoms, who are not suitable for online therapy, and should identify in-person, in-city, crisis support if they are engaging in online therapy,” she concludes.