His Excellency Dr. Ahmad Belhoul, Minister of State for Higher Education from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), accompanied by His Excellency Mr. Saeed Alqemzi, Consul-General of the UAE in Melbourne and Mrs. Rawdha Almansoori, UAE Cultural Attaché to Australia, led a delegation on Friday 4th August 2017 to visit the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH), as part of the UAE’s Year of Giving.

Together with the Minister, the delegation, which also included a group of Emirati medical students currently pursuing their university studies in Australia, interacted with patients and their families, gifted educational toys and exchanged stories about future aspirations.

The Year of Giving, observed through 2017, is inspired by the values of hospitality and generosity which lie at the heart of the UAE’s Arab identity and the example of the country’s founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

Commenting on the visit, His Excellency Dr. Ahmad stated, “As part of the UAE’s Year of Giving efforts, we are extremely grateful to the Royal Children’s Hospital for the opportunity to visit your impressive facilities and meet with your delightful patients, whose personal and professional ambitions are truly inspiring.”

“What I found most remarkable is how RCH brings together innovative research with high-quality healthcare delivery while keeping its patients front and center. I am appreciative that a group of our students also had the opportunity to join me on this visit and invite other medical students to see what RCH has to offer, as the experience is extremely fulfilling both on scientific and humane level.”

In addition to touring various facilities at the hospital, the Minister visited the laboratories at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) and met with Dr. David Elliott, a stem cell researcher leading ground-breaking international research on the development of heart muscle which will be transplanted into children undergoing chemotherapy. 

His Excellency also toured Curve 4, a joint venture between MCRI researchers and a commercial technology company that has resulted in over ten technology solutions to assist clinicians in delivering specialized treatment. One of the innovations includes using virtual reality to teach medical students how to resuscitate infants. The researchers and developers have also jointly developed a software "game" which allows psychologists to correctly diagnose social and behavioural disorders in children.

At the University of Melbourne's Department of Paediatrics, the Minister met medical and physiotherapy students who presented the University's Teddy Bear Hospital, a worldwide initiative which aims to reduce childhood fear of the healthcare system by enhancing the communication skills of health professionals when dealing with children. His Excellency also met with Prof. Julie Bines, Deputy Head of School and Dr. Anthea Leonard, a specialist paediatrician who has developed a tool to teach medical students the appropriate techniques to communicate and engage with adolescent patients. 

His Excellency’s visit to RCH in Melbourne was part of a broader trip that included participation in the second annual Sons of Zayed forum, which convenes Emirati students studying in universities across Australia. The Forum aims to provide a platform for building national leaders who can keep pace with global developments and contribute to the UAE’s sustainable economic growth. Close to 300 Emirati students attended this year’s event, which also included participation from His Excellency Dr. Obaid Al Hairi Al Ketbi, UAE Ambassador to Australia.