Gulf Medical University (GMU), in collaboration with Special Olympics UAE, successfully hosted an Inclusive Care Training session on Friday, April 25, 2025. The training was organized by the College of Health Sciences (CoHS) at GMU, led by Dr. Praveen Kumar, Dean of CoHS, and Dr. Meruna Bose, Associate Professor of Physiotherapy.
The training session featured Mr. Bahij Khouzami, Founder of Autism Intervention Specialists, who shared his extensive expertise in providing services to individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and related disabilities. Mr. Khouzami’s experience in Applied Behaviour Analysis, Early Intervention, Verbal Behaviour, PECS, and Behaviour Management equipped students with valuable knowledge and skills.
Students from all healthcare professional programs at GMU benefited greatly from the training, gaining insights into what to expect when practicing on people of determination. The session highlighted the importance of behaviour analysis in strategizing healthcare practices to maintain patients’ comfort zones.
The organizing team from Special Olympics UAE, including Ms. Areen A., Head of Health Programs, Ms. Fatima Al Sakkaf, Health Programs Specialist, and Ms. Mageda Mohammed Bin Madhi, Health Program Officer, worked closely with GMU faculty to deliver a successful training session. Dr. Praveen Kumar, Dean, CoHS felicitated Mr. Bahij Khouzami and the Special Olympics team, expressing his appreciation for their contributions.
“This training session was a remarkable experience for our students, and I’m grateful to Mr. Bahij Khouzami and the Special Olympics UAE team for sharing their expertise. Our students are now better equipped to deliver compassionate person-centered care with empathy and understanding,” commented Dr. Praveen Kumar, Dean, College of Health Sciences.
The Inclusive Care Training session was a resounding success, demonstrating GMU’s commitment to fostering a culture of kindness, empathy, inclusivity and compassion in healthcare education.