“SEHA” provides an innovative treatment for a disease of unknown cause

Under the supervision of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, Tawam Hospital, one of the facilities of SEHA, a subsidiary of PureHealth, the largest healthcare group in the Middle East, succeeded in providing an innovative treatment for idiopathic pericarditis and stillit’s disease, for the first time in the UAE and the Gulf Cooperation Council region. The innovative treatment based on the drug “rilonacept” contributed to the recovery of two young Emirati citizens who were suffering from rare diseases that are difficult to treat and resistant to traditional treatments, in an achievement that confirms SEHA’s commitment to providing health care. It is patient-centered and reinforces Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading global healthcare destination.

The two patients were able to obtain this advanced treatment for recurrent idiopathic pericarditis, and for Still’s disease, a rare immune disorder in adults that is resistant to conventional treatments. This successful recovery is one of the first uses of the drug “rilonacept” in the Gulf region to treat rare diseases that are difficult to treat.

Rilonacept is a biological treatment that inhibits the protein interleukin-1, a major driver of harmful inflammation. By targeting this protein, the treatment contributes to alleviating symptoms associated with rare diseases such as pain, sudden recurrent fever, difficulty breathing, rash, swelling, and damage to vital organs, providing a significant improvement in treatment outcomes and quality of life for patients with rare and complex diseases.

The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi accelerated the procedures for obtaining the necessary accreditations and approvals and coding and documenting the medicine with an identification code, after a multidisciplinary team in the life sciences sector conducted a comprehensive evaluation of its effectiveness, ensuring the availability of innovative medicines for eligible patients and their insurance coverage in a way that improves the quality and efficiency of care services provided in the emirate.

Dr. Khaled Abdullah Al Naqbi, a consultant physician and head of the Rheumatology Department at Tawam Hospital, said: “We are proud to offer the latest innovative treatments here in the UAE. This achievement highlights that our hospital has become a leading destination in the region for providing world-class care in the treatment of complex immune-mediated rheumatic diseases.”

Executive Medical Director – Tawam Hospital, Dr. Dalal Al Mansouri, added: “The patient remains our top priority. By making the latest locally advanced treatments available, we are not only improving treatment outcomes, but also giving hope to patients and their families facing these difficult health conditions. This is the future of healthcare in the UAE, as we provide world-class standards of care within our communities.”