Prof. Najib Al Khaja, Secretary General of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences, declared that the Award is a Gold Sponsor of the celebration of the World Down Syndrome Day, which will be held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Majid Bin Mohammed at Dubai Mall on Saturday, March 23. The celebration, organized by the Emirates Down Syndrome Association, is held under the slogan "I want to work" with the attendance of around 2,000 participants including the public, public figures and people with Down syndrome and their families. The celebration will include a huge march alongside with various awareness and entertainment activities.

 

This was announced during the press conference held this morning at the hall of Luxor, Dubai Raffles Hotel, in the presence of the representatives of the Gold Sponsors of the event including Mr. Ahmed Abdullah, Deputy of the 1st Director of the External Communication, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, and Mr. Hisham Al Amoudi, Deputy of the Executive President of the Early Learning Centre as well as the officials from Emirates Down Syndrome Association including Mrs. Sonia Al Hashimi, Chairperson, and Dr. Manal Jarour, Vice Chairperson.

 

During his speech, Al Khaja expressed his pride and appreciation for the participation of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences in the sponsorship of the World Down Syndrome Day. He said: "Such event should be supported by all of the society categories, individuals and institutions, in all possible ways to introduce the Down Syndrome causes and the prevention and treatment methods and to spread the awareness of the necessity for releasing and benefiting from the potentials of the patients in such a way that would contribute to the community upgrade and promotion. They are an integral part of the Emirati original texture which applies to its categories the principles of justice and equality, the most important of which is the right to life.

 

"Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences is an integral part of the society. Its support for the specialized medical events does not prevent it from performing its duty towards the individuals of the society. They are one of the important parties to the health system which would be sound only by showing interest in supporting the awareness of many diseases that burden families and the society", Al Khaja said.

 

"Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences was established in 1999, i.e. 15 years ago. The Award Centre was the first of its centers which were incorporated to honor the excellent personnel at the health sectors. Then, it was developed by establishing the Centre for Supporting Scientific Research, the Centre for Medical Publication and the Center for Continuing Medical Education", he added.

 

"The Award also established the Centre for Arab Genomic Studies which is one of the most important achievements worldwide, particularly with respect to the diagnosis and treatment of the genetic and hereditary diseases, in view of its Catalogue for Transmission Genetics in Arabs (CTGA). It is the second largest database of the hereditary diseases and an important reference for the doctors and personnel in such important specialization due to its available important information about the spread of the hereditary diseases in the Arab World and its explanation for the diagnosis and treatment ways based upon the scientific research issued worldwide and by the support of the greatest Arab hereditary scientists and doctors", he said.

 

"Down Syndrome is a hereditary disease which has the sponsorship and support of the Award not only by its sponsorship for the World Down Syndrome Day, but also by its regular monitoring of such disease in the Arab countries through the CTGA, which contributes to the demonstration of the problem aspects on the ground so that it would be a main framework for the officials of the state by which they would develop the necessary plans for patient care and spread the awareness of the prevention and treatment ways for the benefit of the patients and their families. That would reflect on achieving the required balance in the services provided to the community so that they would include all of its categories without discrimination", Al Khaja said.

 

At the end of the speech, Al Khaja wished all success for the event, with a strong support by the media, in order to achieve the desired goals at the top of which are to make the public opinion aware of the nature of the Down syndrome patients and the suffering of their families, to work seriously on helping them to overcome such disease and to explain the nature and causes of such disease as well as the prevention methods in an attempt to reduce the number of the Down Syndrome patients in the future.

 

From the Award, the press conference was attended by Mr. Abdullah Bin Souqat, Executive Director, Dr. Hamza Abdul Razzak, Scientific Coordinator, CAGS, Mrs. Amany Al Okda, in charge of the Media Centre, Mr. Ali Afifi, Public Relation officer and Mr. Wael Abou Daif, Administrative Officer.