World's first camel hospital in Dubai to get bigger

Dubai: Dubai Camel Hospital, the world's first camel hospital, is all set to double its capacity in view of the massive demand for its services.

The state-of-the-art veterinary hospital has firmed up plans to enlarge its facilities to be able to treat over 30 camels simultaneously, according to a statement released here.

The camel hospital opened its doors in 2017 to meet the overwhelming demand in the UAE for an advanced medical facility dedicated to treating camels.

The Dubai Camel Hospital is a unique hospital catering specifically to the needs of the burgeoning camel industry that has been flourishing and growing by leaps and bounds over the past few years, said Mohammad Alblooshi, Director, Dubai Camel Hospital.

Camels are an integral part of the UAE's heritage, and preserving it is a key aim of the hospital. Historically, camels, known as the 'ship of the desert' have been a source of transport as well as food and milk in the region.

The camel has continued to be an integral part of the UAE's society and culture to this day, with select breeds used for camel racing, a sport highly popular among Emiratis.

In recent years, camel dairy farming has evolved as an alternative to traditional dairy farming in the region. According to a recent report by the IMARC Group, the GCC camel dairy market was worth USD 447.9 million in 2018 and is projected to reach over USD 661 million by 2024, rising by 6.9 per cent during 2019-2024.

The Dubai Camel Hospital can currently treat 22 camels at a time.

The hospital has a total strength of 65 professional staff. We are self-sufficient with a fully stocked in-house pharmacy, a handy laboratory and a state-of-the art surgical facility that is equipped with the most modem and latest equipment. The surgical area is capable of handling the most complex medical veterinary cases of all camel species, said Alblooshi.

Our two surgical operation theatres can handle cases simultaneously with live high definition audio visual experience for camel owners and trainers in the specially arranged VIP area, which also has a huge viewing gallery, Alblooshi said.

The hospital aims to contribute significantly to the research and development of camel medicine as part of enhancing the global body of therapeutic knowledge related to the unique desert animal.

We have just started functioning at the new facility and the hospital will certainly be involved in veterinary medical research studies in the near future, said Mohammad Alblooshi.