Rashid Hospital’s Trauma Centre is one of the top 10 in the MENA region and Europe, a top health official recently revealed. His Excellency Humaid Al Qutami, Director-General of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) inaugurated the 4th International Trauma Conference and highlighted the achievements of the largest trauma centre in the UAE and MENA region.

Al Qutami said that the field of Trauma care is an extremely pivotal and critical field that requires immediate, precise multidisciplinary care and protocols to save lives. He said the Authority has paid significant emphasis to this field and has invested in continuous medical development of medical professionals, smart technologies, processes and protocol management to ensure the centre provides the highest level of emergency care.

The Trauma Centre is a high-volume centre and receives 500-600 cases daily. Many of these are life-threatening such as strokes, road accidents, cardiovascular episodes, among others.

Al Qutami said given the global prevalence of traffic-accidents, and non-fatal injuries as a result of these accidents, it is highly important to provide utmost emergency care for such patients and provide them with a path towards rehabilitation to ensure patients retain maximum independence and quality of life possible.

He said the Authority continues to focus on all aspects to develop trauma care. Rashid Hospital recently introduced one of the most advanced 3D imaging equipment and navigation system for accurate and precision-based surgeries especially spinal surgeries and neurosurgery.

Robotic surgeries at Rashid Hospital

The three-in-one system known as O-Arm provides real-time imaging of a patient’s anatomy with high-quality images and a large field-of-view in both 2D and 3D.

Dr. Bilal El Yafawi, Consultant Orthotrauma surgeon and head of Orthotrauma department in Rashid Hospital and Chairman of the Trauma Conference said, “This is the future. With the introduction of the O-arm, we are able to use this system to do the CT scan in 25 seconds only. The scan is performed in the operation theatre, the O-Arm system provides us with all the images in real-time in a 2D or 3D format and provides us with 3D navigation. This allows the surgeons to precisely place the screw and fix the spine using real-time imaging. After the procedure, another CT scan is conducted in the OT again. This eliminates the need for re-surgery even in complicated cases. Moreover, the incisions in the spine are much smaller than those needed in conventional surgery, thus, recovery time is maximum three days versus a week in conventional surgery.”

El Yafawi said the centre will continue to enhance its services and its adoption of latest technologies such as robotic surgeries, which is expected to begin within the next three months.

He added that specialists have undergone extensive training in robotic surgery. He said the aim is to provide patients with minimally invasive solutions in surgery, to minimise their hospital stays, minimise their pain and assist with faster recovery.

Al Qutami also toured the exhibition area of the conference that displayed cutting-edge technological advancements in trauma management and care.

This article appears in the March/April edition of Health Magazine. Other topics include AI in healthcare, patient safety, and mobile healthcare from the healthcare industry.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Robotic Surgery and Medical Tech

Why is Rashid Hospital’s Trauma Centre ranked among the top 10 in the MENA region and Europe?

Rashid Hospital’s Trauma Centre is ranked among the top 10 due to its high-volume capacity, cutting-edge smart technologies, and precision multidisciplinary protocols. Handling 500 to 600 emergency cases daily—including life-threatening strokes and road accidents—the centre is backed by heavy investments from the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) in continuous medical development and advanced robotic systems to ensure world-class patient recovery and rehabilitation.

What is the O-Arm system used in Rashid Hospital, and how does it improve spine surgery?

The O-Arm system is an advanced three-in-one 3D imaging equipment and navigation system used for high-precision neurosurgery and spinal surgeries. It performs a full CT scan in just 25 seconds directly inside the operating theatre. Providing real-time 2D and 3D imaging, it allows surgeons to place spinal screws with absolute accuracy. This eliminates the need for follow-up re-surgeries and shortens patient recovery time from a week to a maximum of three days.

When is robotic surgery being introduced at Rashid Hospital’s Trauma Centre?

Following extensive specialist training, robotic surgeries are integrated into the trauma department's operations to provide cutting-edge, minimally invasive solutions. The adoption of robotic surgery aims to drastically reduce patient hospital stays, minimize post-operative pain, and ensure a much faster transition to physical rehabilitation.

How does the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) support the advancement of trauma care in the UAE?

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) continuously drives the development of trauma care by investing in automated smart processes, protocol management, and continuous education for medical professionals. By hosting global platforms like the International Trauma Conference and equipping facilities with advanced 3D navigation and robotic tools, DHA ensures the UAE remains a leading global hub for emergency healthcare and medical innovation.