Born in the Emirate of Sharjah in 1949, Hamad Abdulrehman Al-Midfaa received his early education in the emirate, and then moved to Kuwait to study English literature. He gained a NBA from the University of Kuwait in 1971, and returned to Sharjah where he took up his first post as teacher of English at the Ministry of Education.

In 1972, he joined the diplomatic service as member of the United Arab Emirates permanent mission at the United Nations in New York. He maintained that position until 1974 when he was appointed as Charge d'Affaires and Chief of the UAE mission to the United States of America.

 

In 1975, he was selected by the Foreign Ministry to be Ambassador Plenipotentiary in the Republic of Iraq, and maintained that position until 1977 when he became Ambassador Plenipotentiary of the UAE in the USA and the Republic of Mexico.

 

During his stay in the USA, in order to enhance his diplomatic career, HE AI-Midfaa obtained a Master's degree in political science from the John Hopkins University in 1978.

His diplomatic career helped him gain extensive experience that enabled him to establish broad relations and friendship between the United Arab Emirates and major institutions and prominent figures in the countries to which he was posted. It also afforded him invaluable opportunities to be acquainted with the experiences of those countries, eventually boosting his efforts to develop governmental action at home.

 

In 1975, the late Sheikh Rashid Bin Said AI-Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, selected him as Minister of Health. He thus began a new stage of state service and his principal mission was to foster the health sector in the UAE and raise it to the highest levels. In undertaking this role, he was greatly assisted by his extensive administrative experience, and the knowledge he had gained throughout his career as a diplomat.

 

In recognition of the efforts he had exerted in developing the health sector, and the success he achieved in this domain, he maintained his portfolio in the next Cabinet but acted as Minister of Education, thus returning to the Ministry where he had commenced action twenty years earlier. As in the Ministry of Health, HE Al-Midfaa achieved conspicuous successes. He also contributed to the establishment of the Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Teacher Award, and was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of South Eastern in the USA in 1992.

 

In 1995, he was assigned the Health portfolio side by side with the Education portfolio, thus running the biggest two ministries (considering staff numbers and the volume of services). With the next Cabinet reshuffle, he was appointed as Minister of Health so that he may follow-up the endeavors when he first held the Health portfolio in 1 979.

 

Under his leadership, the Ministry of Health realized countless achievements, including the promulgation of a large set of laws and regulations that helped develop health action in the state, such as the Pharmacology Law, the Law on Registration of Pharmaceutical Companies, the Health Registration Law, the Law on Births and Deaths, the Health Care Law. In addition, he supervised the setting of new and advanced structures for the Ministry of Health, medical zones and hospitals. He also supervised the establishment of a number of hospitals including Al-Mafraq Hospital in Abu Dhabi, Saqr Hospital in Ras Al-Khema, Al-Fujeirah Hospital, Umalquwain Hospital, Sheikh Khalifa Hospital in Ajman, Deba Hospital, Al-Dhaid Hospital, Kalbaa Hospital, and more than 70 health centers all over the UAE.

 

Moreover, HE Al-Midfaa was keen on providing the best and most experienced medical cadres, as well as the most up-to-date technologies. During his tenure as Minister of Health, he introduced the computerized axial tomography (CT scan) technology in all hospitals, together with magnetic resonance, cancer detection and other sophisticated equipment.

 

As Minister of Health, HE Hamad Al-Midfaa was chair of the Supreme Environmental Committee from 1979 to 1991, and then chair of the board of the Federal Environmental Agency from 1995 to 2006.

 

During his lengthy career, HE HamadAbdulrehman Al-Midfaa assumed a number of key national, regional and international positions, and was chair or member of a set of committees and boards. Among the post he assumed at the national level were: Chair of the Federal Environmental Agency; Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum for Medical Sciences; Chair of the National Strategic Committee for the Environment and Sustained Development; member and Deputy Chair of  the Board of the United Arab Emirates University; member of the Ministerial Agency for Educational Development; member of the Ministerial Agency for Public Services; member of the National Education,Culture and Science Committee; member of the Abu Dhabi Environmental Agency; and member of the Refereeing Committee of the Zayed International Environment Award.

 

At the regional and international levels, HE Hamad Al-Midfaa was a member of the Executive Council of the World Health Organization (WHO); member of the Council of GCC Health Ministers and also the Council of Arab Health Ministers; member of the Regional WHO Committee for the East Mediterranean; member of the Council of Ministers responsible for environmental affairs in the GCC and the Arab League; and member of the Board of Trustees of the Development and Environment Council for the Arab Region and Europe.

 

At a time when the United Arab Emirates was just beginning its comprehensive upsurge, H.E. HamadAbdulrehman Al-Midfaa had exerted tremendous efforts and had rendered valuable services to his country and government. He is credited with the establishment of the Ministry of Health and making it what it is now. He is also known for excellence in running the Ministry of Education and Youth. He is a man who, from the beginning of his career, has shouldered numerous responsibilities, and was, therefore, an exemplary official and leader.

 

In recognition of his numerous contributions, and his services for his country and government, HE HamadAbdulrehman Al-Midfaa deserves the Sheikh Harridan Bin Rashid Award for Outstanding Figures in the Medical Field in the UAE (2005-2006 session).