Dubai-22 Jan 2019: In collaboration with the UAE Rare Disease Society, the Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences is organizing the Rare disease day competition for public and private schools in the UAE for the fourth consecutive year. The objectives of the competition are to raise students' awareness and promote positive attitudes towards health challenges, particularly towards "Rare Diseases", to promote the principles of research and exploration and to develop the talents of students and encourage them to innovate and participate in competitions.

 

Speaking about the Rare Disease Day, Mr. Meshaal Al Hammadi, Chairman of the UAE Rare Diseases Society said, “This is one of the most important events that have been managed by an active group of specialized regulators in the last eight years, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance and President of the Dubai Health Authority, and includes many of the educational and recreational activities and activities supportive of patients suffering from rare diseases in the country "

 

"These school competitions aim to act as awareness activities involving the student, teacher and family and stimulating interaction between healthy and affected students", he added.

 

The competition includes a variety of categories which target different talents of students, such as the Written Work Competition, which encourages students to submit a literary story in the context of either rare disease day in general or about the suffering of a patient in particular. Other categories include the Art and painting competitions, handicrafts around Rare Diseases, as well as Theatrical, Musical, and Radio Works, all around the theme of rare diseases. Entries must be sent no later than 7th of February 2019 according to the Terms of the competition on the website: 

www.uaerds.ae

 

His Excellency Abdullah Bin Souqat, the Executive Director of the Award said, "The aim of this competition is basically to raise awareness about rare diseases among all categories and types of society. This includes awareness about and the prevention and optimal method for early detection of rare diseases. The Award has been keen to support the Rare Disease Day over the past 9-years, believing that the dissemination of this kind of awareness among schools, which has received a significant interaction in the past years, is very important to identify these diseases".

 

He also praised the interaction of students in previous years through their participation in many valuable works, which varied between paintings, short stories, and influential and scientific research distinct in the scope of rare diseases.

 

It is worth mentioning that the competitions will be judged by the Organizing Committee for the Day of Rare Diseases on Thursday, 14 February 2019. The winners of the competitions will be announced on the rare disease website.