Sidra Medicine highlights advances to family-centred care
To mark World Health Day observed today, Sidra Medicine is reinforcing its role as a research-driven, patient-centred healthcare organisation by announcing its latest service launches and expansion plans for 2026. “This World Health Day, themed Together for Health. Stand with Science, we are pleased to announce the upcoming launch of new services and expansion plans that will positively impact our patient care programmes,” said Sidra Medicine chief medical officer Prof Ibrahim Janahi. “Through science, collaboration, and compassion, we are working together to build a healthier future, one where care is not only advanced, but also accessible, continuous, and centred around the needs of our community.” This year also marks key milestones in Sidra Medicine’s journey, with a decade of outpatient services and eight years of inpatient care.As part of its continued evolution, Sidra Medicine is expanding its care model beyond hospital walls by launching new home-based services. It has announced the upcoming rollout of a Home Visit Programme, set to begin within the next few months. The programme will initially focus on mother and newborn wellness checks, vaccinations, and well-baby check-ups. “As one of the region’s leading academic healthcare institutions, Sidra Medicine continues to place families at the centre of care, ensuring that services are accessible, continuous, and designed around the patient journey,” said Dr Patricia Abboud, executive director of Medical Services at Sidra Medicine. “Its model reflects a simple but powerful belief: better health outcomes begin when care is within reach both physically and emotionally.” The Vaccination and Well Baby service, an extension of the Paediatric Wellness Clinic into the home, will include physician and nurse-led services such as growth monitoring, feeding and nutrition advice, developmental screening and vaccinations. The Mother and Newborn wellness check services will initially be offered to women who deliver at Sidra Medicine. The service includes postnatal check-ups within 48 hours of the mother being discharged from Sidra Medicine. Nurses will visit the patients at their home to check how they are adjusting with the baby including lactation support, feeding and weight check-ups.The service will be expanded later in the year with additional care offerings, such as postpartum home visits for mothers who have delivered at other facilities. Sidra Medicine is also extending its neonatal expertise by establishing a Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) to expand its advanced Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) capabilities. The unit is a Level 1 NICU and will provide short-term specialised care for newborns up to 28 days old. The SCBU will accept newborns with conditions such as jaundice, potential infections, experiencing weight loss exceeding 10% of their birth weight, or anomalies requiring assessment and follow-up care. “At the core of our healthcare approach is a strong commitment to science and innovation,” said chief research officer Prof Khalid Fakhro. “As a research-driven institution, Sidra Medicine continues to advance precision medicine, leveraging scientific discovery and global collaborations to deliver more personalised and effective treatments. “This approach is not only transforming individual patient outcomes but also raising the standard of healthcare for the future.”As part of its ongoing focus on accessibility and seamless care, Sidra Medicine is also enhancing the patient experience through its dedicated Sidra Medicine App. The platform allows patients and families to easily manage appointments, access medical records, and stay connected with their care teams, ensuring continuity beyond the hospital setting.