Sana’a University Faculty of Medicine Hosts 8th Scientific Cardiology Conference with Broad International Participation

Sana’a – Tuesday, December 16, 2025 (Jumada Al-Akhirah 26, 1447 Hijri)*

The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Sana’a University hosted the Eighth Scientific Cardiology Conference of the Military Cardiac Center, with wide scientific participation and high-level official attendance. The event was attended by Prof. Abdulaziz bin Habtoor, Member of the Supreme Political Council; Allamah Mohammed Miftah, Acting Prime Minister; Prof. Ali Abdulkarim Shaiban, Minister of Public Health and Population; Eng. Mohammed Al-Mahdi, Minister of Telecommunications and Information Technology; Maj. Gen. Ali Al-Kohlani, Assistant Minister of Defense for Human Resources; and Prof. Mohammed Ahmed Al-Bukhaiti, Rector of Sana’a University.

The conference featured active scientific participation from physicians and researchers from within Yemen and abroad, with more than 97 scientific papers and research works addressing the latest developments and challenges in cardiology, cardiac surgery, and interventional cardiology.

In his address, Prof. Abdulaziz bin Habtoor praised the scientific and organizational efforts behind the conference, commending physicians and researchers for their continued scientific and humanitarian contributions despite the conditions of aggressive war and blockade. He affirmed that the medical sector remains among the most resilient and impactful in serving society.

Prof. Bin Habtoor noted that Yemeni physicians have embodied an exceptional model of scientific and humanitarian resilience throughout the years of siege, stating: “Medicine is not merely a profession; it is among the noblest humanitarian disciplines. This sector has filled a critical gap during times of aggression, acting as angels of mercy to whom people entrust their lives with confidence and reassurance.” He also lauded the qualitative transformation of the General Military Hospital from a service-oriented role to advanced scientific research.

For his part, Acting Prime Minister Mohammed Miftah stressed the importance of focusing conference outcomes on addressing real-world challenges—foremost among them the high costs of cardiac procedures and diagnostic errors. He called for translating the conference recommendations into practical action programs that improve healthcare services, particularly for the most vulnerable groups.

He emphasized that health remains a top national priority, stating: “The greatest bill borne by the state and society is the health bill. Collective efforts are required to regulate the costs of catheterization, surgeries, and medications to ensure services worthy of the patient Yemeni people.” He urged the private sector and importers to move toward localizing medical industries and supplies, noting that Yemeni expertise capable of achieving self-sufficiency in the military sector can do the same in healthcare. He also directed the Ministry of Health to strengthen oversight of pricing and professional ethics.

Minister of Public Health and Environment Prof. Ali Abdulkarim Shaiban stated that the Ministry is preparing a unified pricing regulation for cardiac stents and adopting centralized procurement to reduce costs. He noted that the public sector performs more than 12,000 interventional cardiac surgeries annually, and that Yemen possesses well-qualified medical cadres capable of delivering advanced cardiac care without the need for traveling abroad for treatment.

Sana’a University Rector Prof. Mohammed Ahmed Al-Bukhaiti welcomed the conference’s convening at the university, praising the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences for graduating the majority of medical professionals working in cardiology nationwide. He called for strengthened teamwork and a review of cardiac service pricing in line with citizens’ living conditions.

Prof. Al-Bukhaiti commended the General Military Hospital’s scientific discipline in organizing the conference regularly for the eighth time and encouraged other hospitals to follow suit. He specifically highlighted the Cardiac Center at Al-Kuwait University Hospital, describing it as a “young center” that has achieved significant qualitative advances in services and performance indicators within a short period (one and a half years). He announced preparations to hold the center’s first cardiology conference in the coming months.

Conference Chairman Prof. Taha Al-Maimouni emphasized the event’s role in strengthening scientific research and knowledge exchange in cardiology. Dr. Nour Al-Din Al-Jaber, Head of the Preparatory Committee, explained that the conference followed a comprehensive scientific program, including research sessions and specialized workshops with international expert participation.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ali Al-Shami, Secretary-General of the Conference and Director of the Cardiac Center, stated that the conference outcomes will contribute to developing cardiac services and strengthening partnerships between academic institutions and medical centers.

The conference includes eight specialized workshops and scientific lectures. On the first day, three research sessions were held with the participation of physicians and consultants from various countries, discussing the latest scientific and technical advances in cardiology, cardiac surgery, and interventional procedures.

The conference also honored graduates of the Yemeni Cardiology Fellowship and the first cohort of the Myocardial Perfusion Program in recognition of their efforts to strengthen national medical capacities.

The opening ceremony was attended by Mr. Ali Al-Emad, Head of the Central Organization for Control and Auditing; Dr. Abbas Najm Al-Din, Director of the General Military Hospital; several hospital and medical center directors; leaders from the Ministry of Health; the Supreme Medical Council; the Yemeni Board of Medical Specialties; Sana’a University officials; and other relevant stakeholders.