Catholic Kwandong University International St. Mary’s Hospital (Dr. Kim Jun Sig, the President of CKU ISH) announced that an inauguration ceremony was held on 20 May for joint operation of Royal Hospital in Sharjah of the United Arab Emirates at Maria Hall on 3^rd floor of the hospital.

Father Park Moon-seo, the secretary-general of Incheon Catholic Education Foundation, President Chun Myung-Hoon of Catholic Kwandong University, Dr. Kim Jun Sig, the president of Catholic Kwandong University International St. Mary’s Hospital, guests, and 300 hospital personnel participated in the inauguration ceremony.

Royal Hospital, located in Sharjah which is one of the three major Emirates of UAE, is general hospital owned by H.H. Sheikh Faisal bin Khalid Mohammad Al Qasimi. The idea of joint operation started with an elevated reputation of International St. Mary’s Hospital throughout UAE and enthusiastic will of Sheikh Faisal, the owner of Royal Hospital, on joint healthcare business. Both hospitals signed a memorandum of agreement regarding joint operation on 23 March and will jointly run Royal Hospital from May. International St. Mary’s Hospital’s attempt is the first Korean hospitals’ attempt to advance overseas by introducing a new international cooperation model through joint operation.

In the inauguration ceremony, beginning with a ceremony for Dr. Ki Seon-wan who was presented a certificate of appointment as a medical director of Royal Hospital, 1^st team of staff who will be dispatched to Sharjah was awarded the certificate of appointment. In addition, there was a report on the progress of the business, congratulatory message, words of encouragement and the inauguration ceremony finished with reading resolution.

 “As we paved the way that no one had tried, we needed more efforts. After all, I truly believe that each drop of sweat brings us new future that we all pursue. I hope we will achieve our goal, “world’s best hospital”, altogether with dreaming of the new future…I pray for all medical personnel who are going to Sharjah as a member of joint operation.” Father Park Moon-seo said in his congratulatory message.

International St. Mary’s Hospital plans that joint operation of Royal Hospital will start on 23 May by dispatching first joint operation team of medical personnel. Dr. Ki Seon-wan, director of Royal Hospital, will start working for the hospital as a representative of South Korean Team, and 8 staff members including Dr. Kim Soorim of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, nurses, physical therapist, etc, are also dispatched.

Besides Obstetrics and Gynaecology, International St. Mary’s Hospital has a plan to dispatch additional medical personnel for Rehabilitation Medicine and Dermatology clinically needed for Royal Hospital through the joint operation. The hospital exclusively manages operational system of Royal Hospital with the overall personnel management for South Korean medical staffs.

Furthermore, Dr. Ki Seon-wan, the representative of South Korean medical staffs, will form a mutual operation committee with Dr. Singh of Sharjah and participate in major decision-making processes.

Lastly, both organizations have made an agreement on sharing values of creative medical cultures of International St. Mary’s Hospital, for instance, setting up and operating plant factory, beauty center, and so on. Accordingly, the reputation of Korean medical care will be expected to improve in the UAE.