Leading Cardiologists convene in the Third Edition of the Educational Scientific Program “GIS Valves Program”

The Gulf Intervention Society (GIS) has announced the third edition of its medical educational program which will be held at the Conrad Hotel from 31st May till 1st June.

The GIS Valves Program is set to unveil the latest updates in Interventional Cardiology, drawing insights from both international and Gulf perspectives. Participants can expect to delve into the integration of cutting-edge technologies in Structural Heart Diseases, with live demonstrations and in-depth discussions facilitated throughout the program and interactive sessions. 

The event is organized by GIS part of the Gulf Heart Association and “ICOM GROUP”.

The board consists of specialists in interventional cardiology, including Dr. Fawaz Almutairi, president of the Gulf Intervention Society and Consultant Interventional Cardiologist King Abdulaziz Cardiac Center National Guard Hospital, Riyadh, vice-president of the Society Dr. Abdullah Shehab, Professor of cardiology from the United Arab Emirates, the Secretary General of the Society, Dr. Mousa Akbar Consultant interventional Cardiologist and Head of Cardiology Unit Al Sabah Hospital Kuwait, the Treasurer Dr. Khalid Bin Thani, Cardiovascular Medicine and Interventional Cardiology Consultant in Bahrain, in addition of local and regional participation of many Doctors specialized in this field work together.

Dr. Fawaz Almutairi, president of the Gulf Intervention Society and Consultant Interventional Cardiologist King Abdulaziz Cardiac Center National Guard Hospital, Riyadh, has shown his gratitude and appreciation for his conference, which continues for the third year in a row, saying: ” We are pleased to host this third annual conference on heart valves treatments and in the presence of the most prominent specialists in the field of heart surgery from the Middle East and around the world.

This year GIS Valves promises an exhilarating integration of perspectives, with cardiothoracic surgery and imaging which take place in every session. Our goal is to discuss and analyze the latest scientific findings in structural heart surgery and interventional medicine, and to highlight the challenges and successes of the industry not only in the Middle East but also globally.”

Building on its tradition of presenting the latest updates and trends in Interventional Cardiology, the program will show international and Gulf experiences, emphasizing the incorporation of cutting-edge technologies in treating Structural Heart Diseases.

Hence, the vision of the GIS is to adopt the latest innovative advancements and technologies discovered globally in its field and thus work continuously to develop comprehensive programs based on providing top-notch clinical treatments to patients in the Middle East, particularly in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

Dr. Al-Mutairi has stated The GIS Valves Program provides a platform to tackle current challenges in interventional cardiology. The event will host well-known experts from the Gulf and around the world. The conference program will focus on the integration of advanced technologies in the treatment of structural heart diseases. These technologies will be discussed in detail through explanatory programs and live transmissions from several hospitals. The event will also provide interactive sessions to discuss and clarify these technologies in depth.”

The two-day event will feature live transmissions through modern technologies from the Saud Al-Babtain Center for Cardiac Medicine and Surgery, King Abdullah Medical City in Mecca, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Son Danato in Milan, Italy, and Budapest in Hungary. The event aims to emphasize the significance of sharing experiences among professionals in the field to enhance their expertise and provide an educational plan based on scientific research and global knowledge. Since its establishment in 2018, the Gulf Intervention Society’s activities have seen a 70% year-on-year increase in attendance and participation.

Dr. Fawaz Almutairi, president of the Society, expressed his gratitude towards the scientific committee for developing the annual program. This committee consists of well-known experts from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, including Dr. Sondos Samargandy, Dr. Salem Assiri, Dr. Mohammed Alreshidan (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia), Dr. Ahmed AlShatti (Kuwait), Dr. Abdulrahman Alnabti (Qatar), Dr. Arif Al-Nouryani, Dr. Fahd Basliab (UAE), Dr. Hossam Nour (Bahrain), and Dr. Mohamed Al-Mukhaini (Oman)

In a statement, the Vice President of the Society, Dr. Abdullah Shehab, said: “We are constantly witnessing more awareness and interest in such events and events that are keen to raise the level of medical services, especially in the field of cardiac surgeries and catheterization. This year’s GIS Valves Program is a rich experience that brings together many perspectives in the field of cardiothoracic surgery and imaging, which takes place during the conference sessions, and attendees can explore it with a comprehensive vision through the different perspectives of experts and workers in this sector.”

Dr. Khalid Bin Thani, Treasurer, said: “Over the past year, we witnessed a large turnout from the GCC countries and the region, which indicates the major role that such events play with regard to improving health care in our region، Therefore, we at GIS keen to merge the latest innovations, technologies and experiments into the treatments of structural heart diseases.”

Dr Khalid bin Thani added: “This year’s GIS Valves Program offers a dynamic mix of knowledge exchange, hands-on workshops, and open discussions spanning two days of in-person interaction to enhance learning and collaboration. Furthermore, the inclusion of simulation workshops dedicated to structural cardiac intervention, transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), and cardiac surgery will provide attendees with valuable practical educational experiences.”

The Society will hold its annual conference this year from 28^th till 30^th at the InterContinental Festival City Hotel, Dubai. Posts will be displayed several specialists side by side during the live broadcast to reach the largest number of audiences.

For his part, the Secretary-General of the GIS Society, Dr Mousa Akbar, Consultant interventional Cardiologist and Head of the Cardiology Unit Al Sabah Hospital, Kuwait Dr. Musa Akbar, said: “Through these events, the Society provides an interactive scientific platform for sharing experiences among experts from different parts of the world, to improve the quality of the sector. The Council also welcomes the national and regional participation of specialists, including cardiologists and interventional cardiologists, to work together.”

In addition to covering core topics including aortic, mitral, pulmonary, and tricuspid valves and their complications, the Program accommodates interventional cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, technicians, and nurses, and provides valuable insights and greater opportunities for communication across the spectrum of cardiovascular care. The Gulf Society urges the practice of the highest levels and standards of safety and the use of the latest scientific findings in treating patients and surgical heart interventions, thus providing an electronic platform that is a source of scientific materials that help develop the skills of doctors and workers in this sector. Among its main objectives:

 Providing a major platform to be adopted as a source of information and research regarding heart disease treatments to be a link between doctors and workers in this sector from various GCC countries and the world.
 Enhancing cooperation between regional bodies for exchanging experiences and the latest research findings in the field of heart treatments and catheterization.
 Educating workers in the sector to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to advance the industry to new heights.

Photo caption (From Right to Left):

The GIS Executive board awarded Dr. Arif Al Nooryani, Consultant Cardiology, UAE during the last GIS Valves Program 2023, in the presence of doctors from the Middle East