Media Release

"Thumbay labs becomes the biggest laboratory chain in UAE with four full-fledged laboratories manned by experienced
Pathologists. We are also the largest service provider in the country in terms of the range of tests available, the number of diagnostic tests done, and revenue," says Dr Menon, director of Thumbay labs.

Ajman, Jun 30: A state-of-the-art medical research and diagnostic facility named Centre for Advanced Biomedical Research and Innovation (CABRI) – Thumbay Labs, which was set up two years ago within the premises of the Gulf Medical University, is planning further expansion with introduction of new services and advanced tests.

Set up initially with an investment of AED 20 million, Thumbay Labs has expanded their services in Northern Emirates by setting up testing facilities in all the Thumbay group hospitals and clinics. Thumbay Labs are the biggest laboratory chain in UAE with three full-fledged laboratories manned by experienced pathologists. Its central lab is located at the Gulf Medical University called The Center for Advanced Biomedical Research and Innovation (CABRI), GMU Laboratories. The laboratory chain has fully functional branches in Dubai and Fujairah with collection centers at Ajman and Sharjah. Upcoming high quality sample collection facilities in association with Thumbay clinics are being set up at Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Abu Dhabi, and Ras Al Khaimah.

Thumbay Labs also inaugurated the complete automation project at the Centre for Advanced Biomedical Research and Innovation. Attended by the crown prince of Ajman - Sheikh Ammar Bin Humaid Bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, this new fully automated laboratory is the latest initiative in the growing portfolio of Indian entrepreneur Thumbay Moideen.

Commenting on the launch, Moideen noted, “We already have labs in Sharjah, Dubai, Fujairah and two labs in Ajman. In addition to this, we have added six clinics under the Thumbay brand in UAE. With the inauguration of this lab, the plan is to continue growing our strong network of clinics and labs. It’s an ambitious plan, but our strategic plan, called Vision 2020, aligns with the government’s thinking, and this lab’s growth is only a part of it. The Thumbay Group is listed among the top 100 companies making an impact in the Arab world by Forbes Middle East. Thumbay Foundation will offer a research grant of AED 10 million over the next six years towards research projects at the center,” added Moideen.

“This development has opened the doors for transition of our institution from a purely academic institution to that of a research and innovation based university,” says Prof Gita Ashok Raj, Provost of Gulf Medical University. “It is indeed a matter of pride for all of us today,” she added.

The Center for Advanced Biomedical Research and Innovation (CABRI) has received its accreditation from the College of American Pathologists (CAP), a much coveted credential that positions CABRI as a high quality specialty pathology laboratory.

CABRI also has the distinction of being the first lab to be accredited by CAP in the Northern Emirates. This makes it possible for the community in the Northern Emirates to avail of the high quality specialty test services offered by CABRI. All laboratories have been standardized with uniform equipment and staff selection procedures, standard operations procedures, laboratory information management system and follow a QMS compliant with the College of American Pathologists. They all participate in CAP EQAS. All the laboratories follow a data driven six sigma process based operations protocol. All reference ranges have been verified and standardized.

The aim for Gulf Medical University is to develop and offer state of the art innovation to the country’s citizens and ultimately the wider region, whilst also becoming a reference lab in the UAE and GCC. The laboratory’s director, Dr P K Menon, MD PhD MBA shares this sentiment, noting that the lab is a rarity for medical institutions not just in the country, but all over the world. “We are pioneers for setting up rare tests – eg, New Born Screening using LCMS and Time Resolved Fluorimetery, Hemoglobinopathy, Genetic analysis using Microarrays and Sequencers, Lipid Sub fractions analysis for cardiac disease reversal, in vitro allergy testing. Our research lab trains masters and PhD students,” he added.

“In many university centres for excellence, you’ll find certain equipment, an atomic absorption instrument for instance, in one lab. Then you’ll have to go to another to find an HPLC and yet another to find a GCMS. What we’ve done here is we’ve managed to combine all these super-specialty equipment under one roof and within walking distance of each other. We did this because we wanted to enhance the university’s reputation from just an education-based institute to that of a research based institution providing an important referral diagnostic service to the community. Now, patients who need super specialty testing need not travel abroad,” said Menon.

“Setting up a lab of this complexity and sophistication required the help of multiple partners, including the likes of Zahrawi, Gulf Scientific, Life Technologies and Roche Diagnostics. To give an indication of the contributions and support our partners have provided, Roche Diagnostics for example, played a very significant role in setting up the chemistry analysers and the automation, which along with the POCT will handle almost 70% of our testing in a highly accurate and reliable manner,” noted Menon.

Both Dr Menon and Thumbay commented on the growing interest in evidence based healthcare initiative in the UAE, with both noting the increased investment in the sector on the part of the UAE’s government as part of their long-term strategic vision to transform UAE to a healthcare destination. A recent report by the US-UAE business council put the UAE’s healthcare spending in 2013 alone at $16.8 billion.

“Healthcare and education make up the largest part of a country’s budget. The UAE government is spending heavily on these sectors and as a private organization; we’re doing our part of contributing to this. I see it headed in a very positive direction,” concluded Thumbay Moideen.