QF entity “Precision Medicine for All” grant seeks partners to fund research-enhanced patient care
28 February 2023, Doha, Qatar – To coincide with the Rare Disease Day, Sidra Medicine, a member of Qatar Foundation, has announced the launch of a benevolent healthcare grant “Precision Medicine for All”. The grant will allow young patients of all backgrounds, particularly those with genetic, rare or hard-to-diagnose conditions, to access cutting-edge precision diagnostics at Sidra Medicine.
Rare Disease Day, is an annual observance which falls on the last day of February. It is aimed at raising awareness and generating change for the hundreds of millions of people worldwide living with a rare disease.
Dr. Iyabo Tinubu-Karch, CEO of Sidra Medicine said: "I am pleased to announce the “Precision Medicine for All” grant on Rare Disease Day. Through this grant, we are generating a change that will positively impact the lives of hundreds of patients living with rare or complex diseases in Qatar. We are also proud to play a role in implementing a program that is in support of Qatar’s pledge to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, one of which is to achieve universal health coverage and enhancing “Good Health and Well-being” for all (UNSDG Goal 3).”
“As one of the few hospitals in the region with the capacity to deliver advanced diagnostics and precision therapies under one roof, Sidra Medicine is committed to widening the access to its Precision Medicine services. However, to help us achieve this, we call upon the community of healthcare partners, technology manufacturers and vendors, distributors and corporate organizations to join us and truly make precision medicine a reality for all patients in Qatar,” continued Dr. Tinubu-Karch.
“Precision Medicine for All” will fund research based diagnostic or therapeutic activities and resources, including but not limited to whole genome sequencing, zebra fish modeling and immunophenotyping.
Dr. Khalid Fakhro, Chief Research Officer at Sidra Medicine said: “Sidra Medicine is in a very unique position where research is embedded into our philosophy for patient care. We have successfully showcased this for children with rare diseases such as neurological disorders, immune deficiencies, congenital malformations and cancer. Yet, oftentimes there are still many children whose families are unaware of where to go to find out the underlying cause of the disease or who are unable to afford the experimental therapies. Also, such advanced diagnostics or therapies are not covered by health insurance providers.”
“Our main mission is to bring research as close to the patient’s bedside as possible. “Precision Medicine for All” will support funding key patient-related clinical research and personalized interventions, thus reducing the emotional and financial burden for patients in need. With the support of benevolent partners, we hope this grant will significantly grow over the years to make precision medicine a reality for all rare disease patients and their families in Qatar.”
For more information on the “Precision Medicine for All” grant, please visit sidra.org/research.