On January 29th and 30th, Dr. Elie Karam and Dr. Antoine Abche participated in the Kick-off Meeting of the SALAM project. The selected project is co-funded by the European Union under the Interreg Next-Med programme. The consortium submitting the project consists of Polyclinic of Bari-UNIBA (Lead-Partner, Italy), Politecnico di Bari (Italy), Universitat de Barcelona (Spain), University of Balamand (Lebanon), Jordan University of Science and Technology (Jordan), Caritas Lebanon (Lebanon), and Caritas Jordan (Jordan).

The project focuses primarily of the intertwining scientific-technological and humanistic-social healthcare demands. A holistic approach to healthcare will be considered, including highly specialized, competent, flexible, resilient, and cooperative healthcare professionalism. SALAM will develop a comprehensive solution that will bring mutual benefits to involved countries, envisaging two hospital hubs in Lebanon and Jordan. The hubs will include Medical Mobile Units to be housed at the Caritas Centers in both Lebanon and Jordan.

The UOB contribution to the project will address mainly the development and testing of portable bio-devices pertaining to the applications of the telemedicine/tele-cardiology units, as well as the participation in the research conducted within the Transnational Research Center that will be developed among partner universities on both sides of Mediterranean, which, moving from health needs of territories, will work together to develop accessible medical bio-devices, benefiting everyone - especially those affected by Cardiovascular Diseases - so that "no one is left behind" and the value of inclusion can find substance across different nations, in a relationship of mutual enrichment where peace will be direct consequence of well-being for all. The project duration is 36 months, starting on December 02, 2025.