Government
Ministry of Healths Health Centers and Clinics Department launches Innovation Trip to promote culture of creativity & innovation
The Ministry of Healths - Health Centers and Clinics Department has launched today (Saturday, October 10, 2015) an interactive training program called Innovation Trip to improve the work performance of the departments employees and instill in them a culture of creativity. Covering a series of educational tours, Innovation Trip is under the patronage of H.E. Dr. Hussein Abdul Rahman Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for Health Centers and Clinics, and is being implemented in cooperation with Lundbeck, a Danish international pharmaceutical company.
The initiative is in line with the Ministrys support for the UAE Innovation Week launched by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and in response to H.H.s call for broader and active participation by using the hashtag #UAE Innovation Week. The event will be held from November 22 to 28, 2015.
The launching of Innovation Trip comes on the heels of H.H. Sheikh Mohammeds declaration of 2015 as the Year of Innovation. It is also our way of heeding H.H.s directives when he said, Innovation is an approach and not a choice. The UAE Week of Innovation gives special focus on the health industry, among other sectors, in recognition of its crucial role in protecting life and promoting the health of individuals and society. The Ministry of Health led by H.E. Abdul Rahman Bin Mohammed Al Owais, Minister of Health, fully supports our creative employees and their personal and professional developments achieved through various training programs and brainstorming sessions. These programs and sessions will encourage creation and innovation among them. Moreover, the Ministry has integrated their creative ideas into the operations of our different departments as we consistently develop products and services for helping individuals and society, H.E. Dr. Al Rand said.
H.E. added: The Ministry of Health also fully supports the UAE Governments efforts to reinforce the countrys status as place that inspires and encourages creativity. The Ministry has adopted a comprehensive strategy to support and apply creative ideas and suggestions in various fields. We also incorporated the recommendations of the best scientific studies and research works into our services to enhance our leading position and achieve our vision of transforming into a sustainable institution that promotes innovations according to the highest global standards. The educational trips aim to inspire employees across different fields to think in a creative way and promote a culture of creativity and innovation in the work environment. It also aspires to deepen the understanding of this culture and highlight the role of organizations and individuals in facilitating creative activities. Innovation Trip enables the participants to learn new techniques and tools which they can apply at work. It will also inspire them to generate new practical ides to solve problems.
A total of 35 employees, including technicians and administrators, from different departments participated in this event that took place today at Shangri-La Hotel. The workshops focused on the basics of innovation and demonstrated how everyone plays a major role in co-creating a culture of creative thought and innovation. It also staged activities that encouraged interaction and collaboration for the generation of innovative ideas. The lecturer used Lego building blocks to help stimulate the participants creativity. The teams built the prototypes of their ideas using Legos and then communicated these utilizing metaphors and stories. Competitions stimulating creative thinking were also held. The technical team was trained to identify the possibilities of random stimulation to generate practical ideas. There were also discussions on the use of Legos at home to produce similar results.
Kamal Hassan, President and CEO of Innovation 360 Institute, supervised the workshops held during the trip. Hassan, known for helping develop and improve the skills of creative people, has conducted training sessions for many government entities such as The Executive Council of Dubai, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, Dubai Ports World, and the Roads and Transport Authority, among others.
On the second day of the event, a select group of Ministry employees will visit several specialized leading companies in innovation to have a closer look at their experiences, especially involving the health industry, as well as their initiatives to develop the skills and talents of their employees.
The Ministry is exerting all efforts to ensure the initiatives success. It is organizing creative activities and events, employing creative people and talents, encouraging all employees to adopt a culture of innovation, creating new solutions to face current and future challenges, developing the human capital, and supporting the nation-building efforts of the UAE citizens.