Born in Dubai on 1/9/1923 to a distinguished family interested in both knowledge and business, Haj Saeed Bin Ahmed Al-Lootah was brought up in a learned atmosphere.
After receiving some formal education for some time, he joined his father's business, which involved a lot of sea and desert navigation. As he grew older, his ambitions and dreams became broader and greater, and his personality matured due to his regular attendance at his father's majlis (traditional Council).
Having had his share of the pearl industry, he moved to marine trade between the Arabian Gulf, and the coasts of India and Africa. By the mid-1950s he established a contracting company in Dubai, thus commencing a role in the building of the homeland.
Haj Saeed has also established a number of companies, organizations and societies, including the Dubai Consumer Cooperative, and the Dubai Islamic Bank.
Recognizing the paramount importance of education, and convinced that science is the surest base for progress and development, he established the Islamic Education School in 1983, whose curriculum provided for vocational training during its latter stage so that graduates may immediately take up suitable vocations.
Due to the conservative nature of Emirates society, and its great need for health care and medical services (especially for women), and in recognition of the status of women, and in order to realize the ambitions of girls yearning to study medicine in a strongly conservative environment, he established the Dubai Medical College for Girls in 1986; an act which coincided with the establishment by the UAE University of its Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
However, the former was a pioneer in as far as it applied a medical education system offering a shorter curriculum and yet leading to the same standards by reducing the duration of study to nearly five years through an intensive study system with shortened vacation, thus saving one year to be devoted to internship program.
In 1994 the College was licensed by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research to teach human medicine, sciences and surgery. Moreover, the Ministry accredited the degree offered by the College and regarded it equivalent to the initial university degree in medicine and surgery. In 2000 the College earned recognition by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Over 18 years, 14 batches have so far graduated from the Dubai Medical College for Girls (550 doctors), thus helping overcome shortage in female doctors. Forty of these graduates continued their education in prestigious schools abroad, and gained higher degrees.
The year 1992 witnessed even more offerings by Haj Saeed in the medical field. He established the first College of Pharmacology in Dubai. Later he launched the Dubai Center for Environmental Research, the Dubai Specialized Medical Center, and the Medical Research Labs for health control and research into medicinal herbs and Islamic (Nabawi) medicine. Other achievements included the establishment of an orphanage, and launching the Al-Lootah World University via the Internet. In 1999, Haj Saeed was given an honorary doctorate from Parkton University (USA), and received various honors from GCC countries.
For his interest in science, medicine and education, and in light of his varied and invaluable contributions, Haj Saeed Bin Ahmed Al-Lootah deserves the Hamdan Award for honouring individuals working in the field of medicine and health.
