{"id":46685,"date":"2021-10-23T02:24:50","date_gmt":"2021-10-23T02:24:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/qatar-news.org\/qatarnewsEn\/?p=46685"},"modified":"2021-10-23T02:24:50","modified_gmt":"2021-10-23T02:24:50","slug":"foreign-aid-lost-in-syria-exchange-rate-distortions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/qatar-news.org\/qatarnewsEn\/?p=46685","title":{"rendered":"Foreign aid lost in Syria exchange rate distortions"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\tDUBAI: Saudi Arabia\u2019s growing health tech sector will soon get a new smartphone application dedicated to monitoring women\u2019s well-being.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe IMC women\u2019s health app, due to launch on Nov. 1, will \u2014 according to its creators \u2014 track users\u2019 body metrics, offering them more control over their health and promoting overall well-being.<\/p>\n

\n\tMore than just a dieting and fitness tracker, the new app also gives information on gynecology services, polycystic ovary syndrome, fertility, fatigue and hormones. It includes a calendar and calculator for menstrual cycles, ovulation and fertility tracking, as well as for pregnancy and wellness management.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWe focus a lot on wellness and well-being,\u201d Farhaa Abdelhaq, who is in charge of the app\u2019s design and analysis, told Arab News. \u201cIt connects to our vision of healing the mind, body and soul by taking a holistic approach. Biologically, we know that women have longer life expectancies, but that longevity does not equate to better quality of health.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tDifferent features allow women to predict their fertility, record and track their symptoms, and monitor contraception, blood pressure, blood sugar and medication. As Abdelhaq explained, such metrics require a service tailored specially for women to provide them with more control over the management of their health.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\tA preview of the IMC Women\u2019s Health App. (Supplied)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

\n\t\u201cIt\u2019s really about dedicating a special app for their specific needs, for diseases that affect them, and to give them more opportunity and information, without visiting the doctor all the time,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cIt\u2019s about enabling and empowering patients to have information at their fingertips, which they can receive from a more (reliable) source rather than reading online.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAvailable on the Apple App Store and Google Play, the app will initially be released to patients at the International Medical Center Hospital in Jeddah, where it was developed in both Arabic and English, before it is offered to women across the country and, eventually, the world.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWe will assess, based on the feedback from our patients, whether any features need to be improved,\u201d Abdelhaq said. \u201cThere is no specific app for women to date in Saudi Arabia, so it\u2019s important this is done for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tTechnology geared toward women\u2019s health, known as femtech, is a rapidly emerging industry. According to a report from Research and Markets called \u201cFemTech Market \u2014 Global Outlook and Forecast 2021-2026,\u201d the sector was expected to grow at a compounded annual rate of over 13 percent during those five years.<\/p>\n

\n\tWith the health care industry increasingly adopting digital tools, the report found that 80 percent of women spend money on health products and make 90 percent of household decisions related to health issues. Overall, the global femtech market linked to maternal health is expected to reach over $19 billion by 2026.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\tSaudi medicine students wearing special 3D glasses listen to Egyptian Doctor Fawzy Deghedy as he explains his new cyber anatomy technique, which employs a virtual 3D anatomy machine, at the Saudi German hospital in Jeddah. (AFP\/File Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

\n\t\u201cIt\u2019s a huge tech-based industry focusing on developing female health,\u201d Abdelhaq said. \u201cIt focuses on very specific issues for women.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThere are a lot of stages women go through \u2014 from menstruation cycles and pre- and post-menopause, to pregnancy, postpartum and using birth control. The idea is to improve our overall well-being, and digital tools are one way we can do that.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWomen are the primary decision makers when it comes to health care, but they also have little information, or they\u2019re misunderstood.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tSuch digital tools can be especially important for women in Saudi Arabia, as they take into account travel arrangements and religious duties, such as Umrah.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cIt gives them that data, information and awareness overall to have everything listed out so that, when they go to the doctor, they know what symptoms to mention,\u201d Abdelhaq said. \u201cIt helps early diagnosis.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tIn particular, Abdelhaq highlighted the app\u2019s role in monitoring polycystic ovary syndrome, which affects fertility, weight and hormones, and can be difficult to diagnose.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tIN<\/span>NUMBERS<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\n\t\t\t*13% – Femtech\u2019s projected compounded annual growth rate from 2020 to 2026. <\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t*$19 billion – Estimated global femtech market linked to maternal health by 2026. <\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t(Source: Research and Markets)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n\tThe app is part of a set of digital solutions that the IMC Hospital aims to provide to women throughout Saudi Arabia.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cAs health care is progressively becoming more patient-centric and personalized, it is imperative we take into account the different needs of Saudi women and use technology to ensure it is both affordable and accessible,\u201d Omer Sayyid, the app\u2019s project manager, told Arab News.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cGlobally, for decades, health-care products were developed, designed and delivered without considering the fact that women\u2019s health care issues and needs are different from those of men. Machine learning, the internet of things, and artificial intelligence all have enormous potential to help devise interactive health solutions for women.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tFrom improved cancer screening and diagnosis of women-specific diseases, to better self-care management and engagement in dealing with pregnancy, menstruation cycle issues, or treating diseases such as arthritis, osteoporosis, depression and Alzheimer\u2019s Disease, technology and science can work wonders at a faster rate if diverse needs and voices are incorporated into solutions, Sayyid believes.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThe majority of software, wearables and apps are focused on the fertility or pregnancy category of the femtech market, but we need to move beyond that,\u201d he said. \u201cWe need to take into account the needs of women of all ages, not just the reproductive age \u2014 menopause and senior care are also important, as well as addressing chronic conditions and hormonal disorders.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAbdelhaq admitted that there is also a financial incentive. Globally, software and tech companies addressing female biological needs generated $820 million in 2019. \u201cBut more importantly, it is a necessity, not a choice, that we include women to ensure we are healthier in current and future generations,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe new app will no doubt find a ready market. More than 34 percent of patients who use digital tech to track their health feel more in control, according to the Philips\u2019 Future Health Index.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\tA preview of the IMC Women\u2019s Health App. (Supplied)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

\n\t\u201cThe app is an extension of the \u2018digital front door\u2019 \u2014 which is an integrated digital strategy for engaging patients,\u201d Muhammad Siddiqui, the chief information officer at Jeddah\u2019s IMC, told Arab News.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThe digital front door empowers patients and offers them a greater sense of autonomy, making it easier and less stressful to enter an insightful conversation about their care. With more transparency and communication, the patient-provider relationship is enhanced.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe initiative also falls in line with Saudi Vision 2030, the Kingdom\u2019s economic diversification and reform agenda. Saudi Arabia launched the health sector transformation program earlier this year to develop the health care system across the whole country.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe program is designed to restructure the Kingdom\u2019s health sector and improve its capabilities, setting the health of every member of society at the forefront of its priorities.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cOverall, the IMC has a goal of aligning our facilities to Vision 2030,\u201d Abdelhaq said. \u201cWe are looking \u2014 from a health perspective \u2014 to use more technology for the right purpose, rather than just innovating in the tech sector for the sake of it.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWe\u2019re looking at empowering people, because without this process of improvement, technology is just a tool. In health care, we\u2019re lagging behind in adopting technology compared with banking and finance. But now is an opportune moment to take that leap.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t—————-<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\n\tTwitter: @CalineMalek<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia\u2019s growing health tech sector will soon get a new smartphone application dedicated to monitoring women\u2019s well-being. The IMC women\u2019s health app, due to launch on Nov. 1, will \u2014 according to its creators \u2014 track users\u2019 body metrics, offering them more control over their health and promoting overall well-being. More than just…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46685","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-spotlight_news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/qatar-news.org\/qatarnewsEn\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46685","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/qatar-news.org\/qatarnewsEn\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/qatar-news.org\/qatarnewsEn\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qatar-news.org\/qatarnewsEn\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qatar-news.org\/qatarnewsEn\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=46685"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/qatar-news.org\/qatarnewsEn\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46685\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/qatar-news.org\/qatarnewsEn\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=46685"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qatar-news.org\/qatarnewsEn\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=46685"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qatar-news.org\/qatarnewsEn\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=46685"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}