Catering to millions of people world over in various fields such as medical education, healthcare, and research, Dubai-based global conglomerate Thumbay Group has gradually evolved as a giant brand since its establishment in 1998. With Gulf Medical University (GMU), Thumbay Medicity and the Thumbay network of academic hospitals and clinics, the group’s foray into healthcare ecosystem is worth taking note of, writes Elets News Network (ENN).

Driven by a futuristic medical education model, state-ofthe-art facilities and cuttingedge research, Thumbay intends to significantly bolster healthcare delivery system in the UAE and its adjoining region.

From a single entity company to a globally established player in many prominent sectors including healthcare, Thumbay Group has come a long way.

With over 5,000 employees, the Group today operates in multiple brands across 20 sectors including education, healthcare, medical research, diagnostics, retail pharmacy, health communications, retail opticals, wellness, nutrition stores, hospitality, real estate, publishing, technology, media, events, medical tourism, trading, and marketing & distribution.

Dr Thumbay Moideen, the Founder President of this iconic business group, has a vision to have global presence and scaling up business to the tune of 10 X in next few years. In addition to emirates of the UAE, the Group now also boasts of a presence in India and Africa, along with upcoming projects in the Europe.

“We stand apart as we dispense medical services, and are one of the best. We are involved in a whole range of healthcare-related issues comprising treating patients to teaching doctors and indulging in professional research. None can match us. Though we may not be as big as others, we are invincible,” says Dr Moideen.

“At Thumbay, we are developing an effective and reliable network of healthcare services ranging from hospitals to clinics, pharmacies and laboratories where patients can repose their trust,” Dr Moideen adds.

Also read: Redefining Global Academic Healthcare

CARVING NICHE IN HEALTHCARE LANDSCAPE

The Gulf Medical University (GMU) was Thumbay Group’s first venture. The need to take care of the clinical training requirements of GMU led the Group to foray into healthcare, giving birth to the first private academic hospital in the country–Thumbay Hospital, Ajman, in 2002.

It was followed by the establishment of a network of academic hospitals and clinics under the healthcare division, with presence at multiple locations in the Emirates of Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain. A state-of-the-art research facility was also set up at GMU. Education, Healthcare and Research became the core sectors of Thumbay Group. Subsequently, the Group started diversification, mostly venturing into areas related to its core sectors.

Outside the UAE, the Group established an academic hospital, pharmacies, and diagnostic labs as well as an outlet of Blends & Brews Coffee Shoppe in Indian city of Hyderabad. Its educational/healthcare projects are at various stages of completion in various countries across Africa and Europe.

Dr Moideen, who remains abreast of developmental issues, believes sky is his limit. Mentioning about his pet project, he says ‘Thumbay Medicity’ in Ajman has medical university campus, housing facilities for staff, faculty and students, as well as specialized academic hospitals and other medicare accessories.

Talking about the nature of his role, a modest Dr Moideen says, “I’m just a facilitator. My goal is to see success is achieved and the lofty objectives we have set are met. I have a great team, and they are good leaders in their individual capacity.

We brainstorm on a regular basis, and I try to facilitate things at my end. It goes without saying that the project is close to my heart.”

OTHER OBJECTIVES

• The Thumbay academic hospital network will have a total of 1,000 beds in the UAE, 1,500 beds in India, and 750 beds elsewhere in Gulf and Africa by 2023

• Gulf Medical University (GMU) is soon to add engineering and management courses

• Plans are afoot to open three new University Campuses across three countries

• To add 25 labs, 100 pharmacies, 40 Zo & Mo optical outlets (100 Blends & Brews coffee shops, 25 Body & Soul health clubs, 50 Nutri Plus Vita stores)

Thumbay Group to go public by 2023

In addition to its new and upcoming healthcare projects across the world, Thumbay Group is keen to acquire existing hospitals, either on long-term lease or on management basis.

THUMBAY MEDICITY: REDEFINING STANDARDS OF EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, AND RESEARCH

Thumbay Group’s success stories in its core sectors of medical education, healthcare, and research has given shape to ‘Thumbay Medicity’ in the UAE to serve 20,000+ people daily, with advanced facilities.

Built with an investment of over a billion Dirhams, the Medicity is spread over one million square feet and has a built-up area of 1.1 million square feet.

A regional hub of futuristic medical education, state-of-the-art healthcare and cutting-edge research, Thumbay Medicity is one of the latest additions to the UAE’s healthcare sector; the first such project in the private sector. Located in Ajman emirate, this Meidcity features advanced technology and global expertise. It will be officially inaugurated soon.

Thumbay Medicity houses the Gulf Medical University, Thumbay University Hospital, Thumbay Dental Hospital and Thumbay Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Hospital and outlets of Thumbay Pharmacy and Thumbay Labs, in addition to Body & Soul Health Club and Spa, Thumbay Food Court, Terrace Restaurant, Blends & Brews Coffee Shoppe, and the Thumbay Housing Project to accommodate 2,500 staff and students.

Gulf Medical University– The biggest private medical university in the region with 6 colleges and 26 accredited programmes: Ranked among the top 50 medical universities in the region, Gulf Medical University (GMU) boasts of advanced training/teaching facilities, international collaborations with more than 60 partner universities worldwide and a full-fledged academic health system.

Thumbay University Hospital Complex

Thumbay University Hospital– The biggest private academic hospital in the region: Equipped with the state-ofthe-art facilities, the 500-bed hospital offers quaternary care facilities through 120 clinics, a first-of-its-kind special robotic pharmacy and a radiology department with PET-CT scan.

Thumbay Dental Hospital – The biggest academic dental hospital in the region: Attached to the College of Dentistry, Gulf Medical University (GMU), the hospital has 60 dental chairs. Specialisations include General Dentistry, Endodontics, Paedodontics, Periodontics, Invisalign, Veneers & Lumineers, Dentures, Crowns and Bridges, Simple & Complicated Extractions and Hollywood Smile and a dedicated Central Sterile Services Department (CSSD) for infection control. The upcoming facilities include stem cell treatment for dental diseases, and an advanced ‘DentalStem Cell Bank’.

Thumbay Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Hospital – The biggest state-of-the-art rehabilitation hospital in the country: It features advanced technology like Zero-gravity Treadmill, Wearable Technologies, Hydrotherapy Pool, Neuropsychology, Advanced Robotics, Hi-Performance Training Gym, Driving Simulation, Full Body Cryotherapy Chamber, Applied Virtual Reality, Speech Therapy, etc. Operating in collaboration with internationally renowned Villa Beretta Rehabilitation Center, Italy, it is attached to Thumbay University Hospital, with 50 dedicated beds. It has a unique ‘Therapeutic Garden’, for earliest recovery in a holistic manner.

Thumbay Research Institute for Precision Medicine– Leading research in cancer biology and immunology: In collaboration with France, Poland and South Korea, the institute has three ongoing research programmes including cancer immunology and experimental oncology; tumor genetic instability and immunogenicity; and biomarkers and functional genomics.

Thumbay Labs– The largest network of CAP-accredited private diagnostic labs in the region with international presence: Thumbay Medicity houses the central reference lab of Thumbay Labs, with the state-of-the-art facilities for neonatal screening, next generation sequencing and genomics.

Thumbay Pharmacy– One of the fastest-growing retail pharmacy chains in the UAE with international presence: A full-fledged Thumbay Pharmacy outlet is operational at Thumbay Medicity. The pharmacy chain has tied up with Gulf Medical University (GMU) for training and employment of the students of the College of Pharmacy, GMU.

According to Dr Moideen, Thumbay Medicity, with an investment of more than a billion UAE Dirhams (over 18.77 billion Indian rupees), is the result of our continued efforts to bring the best of healthcare to the region, making it a hub of world class healthcare with state-of-the-art technology, experienced medical practitioners and superior facilities.

“As one of the most sophisticated medical cities in the region, Thumbay Medicity offers end-to-end tertiary and quaternary healthcare services to patients, with an improved access by way of strategic location and affordability,” he says.

With a total area of 1 million sq. ft. and built-up area of 1.2 million sq.ft., Thumbay Medicity will serve 20,000+ people daily.

Gulf Medical University

Gulf Medical University (GMU) A Vision for Distinction in Medical World

Be it State-of-the-art training/teaching facilities, international collaborations and recognitions, a full-fledged academic system, and newly launched programmes and colleges, have consolidated GMU’s stature and fame as the most sought after medical university in the region for cutting-edge medical education.

Gulf Medical University – Ajman, one of the most popular medical education destinations in the Gulf region, has emerged as the biggest private medical university in the region with addition of new programmes, prestigious regional and international collaborations, multiple global accreditations, increasing student numbers and its transformation into the region’s only private Academic Health System.

BACHELORS & MASTERS PROGRAMMES

The Gulf Medical University comprises six colleges, offering 26 accredited programmes. The undergraduate programmes include Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, Doctor of Dental Medicine, Doctor of Pharmacy, Bachelor of Physiotherapy, Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management and Economics, Associate Degree in PreClinical Sciences, Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences, Bachelor of Science – Medical Laboratory Sciences, Bachelor of Science – Medical Imaging Sciences, Bachelor of Science – AnesthesiaTechnology and Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Masters programmes include: Joint Masters in Health Professions Education with FAIMER, US and CenMEDIC, UK; Master in Public Health in collaboration with The University of Arizona, United States; Executive Master in Healthcare Management and Economics; Master in Clinical Pharmacy with Virginia Commonwealth University, United States & Clevel and Clinic Abu Dhabi; Master of Dental Surgery (Endodontics); Master of Dental Surgery (Periodontics); Master of Physical Therapy; and Master in Environmental Health & Toxicology.

INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS

GMU enjoys a robust collaboration with 60+ prestigious universities around the world, such as the University of Arizona, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Wiscons in Milwaukee -USA, University of Saint Joseph School of Pharmacy in Connecticut, German Heidelberg University, American University in Cairo, University of Ghana, Medical University of Lublin, Tokyo Medical & Dental University, etc., as well as research institutes such as the Gustave Rossi Cancer Research Institute – France.

ADVANCED TEACHING / TRAINING TECHNOLOGIES

An important aspect that differentiates GMU is its use of the latest technologies in teaching and training students across all majors, to ensure their workplace readiness once they graduate from these institutes. One of the most prominent uses of technology in teaching is the Virtual Patient Learning (VPL), a simulation programme that enables medical students to diagnose, treat and observe a patient’s progress, based on Artificial Intelligence technology.

ACADEMIC HEALTH SYSTEM

The Gulf Medical University Academic Health System (GMUAHS) links healthcare, medical education and research functions on its own. Part of GMUAHS are the Thumbay Hospitals and Thumbay Clinics operated by the healthcare division of Thumbay Group at multiple locations in Dubai, Ajman, Sharjah, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain, as well Thumbay Hospital – Hyderabad, India.

The latest additions to the GMU Academic Health System includes Thumbay Dental Hospital – the first private dental hospital in the country and the largest academic dental hospital in the Middle East region’s private sector, as well as Thumbay Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Hospital – the biggest and most advanced hospital for physical therapy and rehabilitation, the recent additions to Thumbay Group’s academic hospitals.

RESEARCH

With research being a vital strategic aspect of GMUAHS, the Thumbay Research Institute for Precision Medicine leads research in the field of cancer biology and immunology, with international collaborations with France, Poland and South Korea. In terms of advancing healthcare practices in the UAE and globally, GMU has launched three medical researches: Cancer Immunology and experimental oncology; Tumor genetic instability and immunogenicity; and biomarkers and functional genomics.

FUTURISTIC MEDICAL EDUCATION

“The Gulf Medical University is the medical university of the future,” says Prof Hossam Hamdy, the Chancellor of GMU. “It aspires to transform into a research-based university by 2025.”

GMU attracts students from across the globe. The university has a strength of approximately 2,000 students, from over 80 countries.

With each passing year, the student strength is soaring. The well-organised alumni network has professionals, pursuing successful medical and healthcare careers around the world. Further, the Gulf Medical University’s enhancing stature is evident from the regional and international recognitions it keeps receiving.

In 2017, GMU featured among top 50 medical universities ranking in the Middle East, and bagged Gold at the prestigious Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Awards, 2018. The university has also secured top positions in e-learning regionally and globally at the Wharton QS-Stars Reimagine Education Conference & Awards 2018 in the USA, in addition to obtaining 5-stars in teaching and community engagement by QS.

The university also received the prestigious Dubai Quality Appreciation Award this year, for the 2017 assessment cycle.

With such an inspiring list of features bespeaking the university’s significance, the Gulf Medical University (GMU) is today a major charm all around. Today, it witnesses an unprecedented demand for admissions, drawing top-class students from different parts of the world. All wish to pursue futuristic medical education courses in GMU’s colleges and institutes.

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