The Awards For Honouring The Individuals Working In The Field Of Medicine And Health 1999 - 2000

Winners:

1. Late Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais
2. Dr Abdul Rahim Jaffar
3. Dr. Jumaa Khalfan Belhoul
4. Dr Joseph Muscat Baron
5. Late Dr Mohammed bin Habib Al Redha
6. Late Dr. Amina Kazim

Winner - 1 : Late Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais The Poet - littérateur was born in the emirate of Sharjah in the year 1925 to a family of famous pearl traders and was well known for his love of poetry and literature. His business deals provided him with opportunities to travel and reside in many countries of the world - he visited all countries of the Arabian Gulf and lived in them as he did for various periods in India, Egypt, Syria and Lebanon. He not only became a rich man but also benefited from his travels in acquiring knowledge, education and wisdom. He accumulated a lot of wealth, but did not use it for personal fame but for the service of his country and the Arab people. He spent generously on his humanitarian and charitable projects and worked without reservation towards the revival of educational and cultural movements. He gained world- wide recognition for his contributions when he established and financed the largest cultural award, which bears his name, in the Arab World, when he announced the formation of the Al Owais Award for educational and scientific achievement on 17th of December 1978. In 1992, it progressed to form an independent cultural institution and gained appreciation of all in the Arab World, suffice it to say that it has completed its 9th year in existence. His attraction towards charitable work started very early on, before his business expanded and his wealth increased. When he lived in India his house was known to be a haven and home to people coming from his country to India for treatment. He was very caring, and spent of his own money in order to ensure their treatment, making him the ideal ambassador for his countrymen in India. He traveled widely and learnt, from experiences he gained during his travels, about the latest equipments and methods of treatment, which were not available to patients in his country. When he felt the pain and sufferings of those who could not afford to travel abroad for treatment, he did not hesitate to help, and many benefited from his generosity. His donations did not stop with the establishments of hospitals and health care institutions in the country, but he continued to work for the comfort of patients and to participate the building of the social fabric through support of institutions, social programmes, hospitals, health care facilities and public utilities. Examples of his generosity are the donation of 13 million Dirhams towards the building of Sharjah hospitals and the establishment of the Al Baraha Hospital, which cost 30 million Dirhams, at his personal expense. Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais was a great man, a humanist and a symbol for charity and generosity. He is an example and an ideal to follow to achieve the lofty goals of the country. He gave of his wealth, his mind and continued his efforts to nurture, inventions and inventors. The Sheikh Hamdan Award is given to eminent people deserving recognition - Sultan Al Owais is a prime example of deserving winners of the award.

Winner - 4 : Dr Abdul Rahim Jaffar The Union Ministry of Health was set in up in 1974 according to the constitution of the UAE and its main aim was to promote health care and medical services to the people of the UAE. One year after it was established in 1975, Dr Abdul Rahim Jaffar was appointed and since then he has given his best years to the services of the country for over a quarter of a century. He is an important person and Dr Jaffar in the same breath. One is synonymous with the other. His contribution to the development of the Ministry has been immense. Dr. Jaffar was born in Dubai in 1934; he is married with four children. He graduated, obtaining an MD, in 1964 from Pahlavi University in Shiraz, Iran. After graduating he went to study specialize in surgery in the USA at the Jacksonville Hospital, Florida from 1971 to 1975. Dr. Jaffar came home to Dubai after he finished his studies and was appointed to the Ministry of Health at a senior level. As soon as he started to work at the Ministry, he showed great leadership qualities, taking important decisions that helped the Ministry of Health progress. He worked on the directives and vision of H H Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, UAE President and ruler of Abu Dhabi, who has always been of the firm belief that development of health and medical facilities in the country was imperative, as the real wealth of the country is its people. He believed everything should be done to promote the health and social services in the country. Dr. Jaffar, set about to establish modern health care facilities for the people in the UAE, using the extensive experience he received in the USA. Dr. Jaffar receive immense support from the UAE leaders and the UAE Ministry of Health. Dr. Jaffar is also the head of the Committee leading the fight against cancer and also the Committee to fight AIDS. Dr. Jaffar's other important contribution was his leading role in the establishment of the Faculty of Medicine and the training of doctors.

Winner - 6 : Dr. Jumaa Khalfan Belhoul Dr Jumaa was born In Dubai in the year 1942. He spent his early childhood in Dubai where he received his primary education at the AI Ahmadia School. This period coincided with the July Arab revolution, which kindled dormant nationalistic and independence feelings. These events had a major impact on Dr Jumaa and affected his choice of a future career. He moved to Qatar to attend pre-secondary school, and then to Kuwait where he completed his secondary school. He crowned his educational achievements in 1969 when he graduated from the Medical College of Cairo University, and it was here where he developed his educational and nationalistic make-up. He opted to study medicine because of the excellent grades he obtained in biology and his interest in biological sciences, although that came at the expense of an engineering degree, which he had originally selected for a career. After graduating, he joined the AI-Maktoum Hospital and became the first national physician at the hospital. After he gained only a few years' experience, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Health in the newly formed Government of the United Arab Emirates in 1971. He served in this capacity until 1973. This was a big challenge, carrying with it immense responsibilities, but he took it on and proved very much up to it, judging from the successes he achieved at the helm of the organisation. In 1974 he was appointed Director General of the Department of Health and Medical Services (DOHMS), a post he retained for 2 decades (1974-1994). This period was the golden age and proved to be the most fruitful in the development of DOHMS and represents all the various stages, those of the establishment, development and maturation, which the department witnessed. At the same time it showcased Dr Jumaa's administrative discipline, careful planning and emphasis on performance. His bio-data reflects that of the department -both are inter-twined and interconnected, and complemented each other. Medical services in Dubai emanated from the hospitals, which offered essential services to the inhabitants, as was the case in other countries in the region. But Dr Jumaa believed in delivering health services to the public from centres in residential areas, and consequently he implemented a programme of providing primary health care services to the public. In a few years he had built-up 18 health centres in Dubai to ensure that medical services were provided to all residents close to where they lived. This saved time and much effort, resulting in a significant Improvement of services, and at the same time relieving the hospitals to enable them to better manage their resources in developing more completely their role In the provision of healthcare to those in need.

Winner - 3 : Dr Joseph Muscat Baron Born in 1934, Dr Muscat - Baron is a British national who holds a degree in pharmacy. He studied in Saint Luke University, Malta. In 1960 he migrated to the UK where he studied and then worked in the health services for a total of 17 years. He came to the UAE in 1977 and became Head of General Medicine at Rashid Hospital and Dubai Hospital. He established this department from scratch and now includes the main specialties of cardiology, pulmonology, and gastroenterology. Dr.Baron was appointed Head of the Pharmaceutical committee because of his immense experience in the field and has been in charge of this committee for over twenty years. One of the main successes of this committee is the publication of the first Pharmaceutical reference book in the region. He was at the forefront of the establishment of the Dubai Women's Medical College in 1988. Dr. Baron is a Professor of Internal Medicine and Cardiology.

Winner - 5 : Late Dr Mohammed bin Habib Al Redha Dr. Redha is one of the oldest and most respected doctors in the UAE, and has been an inspiration to many up and coming doctors in the country. He has practiced as a doctor in the UAE for over half a century, from 1930 to 1982. He is loved and respected by all who have known him, especially those people who have been his patients. It was Sheikh Saeed bin Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, who gave Dr.Redha permission to open a first health clinic in 1939. Dr. Redha is the son of a doctor, who studied and practiced in India a long time ago. Dr. Redha believes that being a doctor was inevitable for him. In the same process, today Dr.Redha has two sons who are also respected doctors in the country. His son Hussein Al Redha is a consultant for orthopedic surgery and head of emergency section in Rashid Hospital, Dubai. His Second son is Dr.Abdel Nabi Redha who is Director of Rashid Hospital. Dr. Mohammed studied and practiced in Iran before he started his practice in Dubai, where he worked for the last five decades. Dr. Redha was very successful, because he was aware of the social environment and he knew the kind of health problems his people suffered from. The main problems during those days were small pox, measles, dysentery and malaria. Dr. Redha used to work in an environment where there was hardly any development. He worked with simple tools and medicines; there were no trained staff to help him, no nurses, and no proper medical equipment. Also Dr Redha was dealing with people who were not very educated at that time. Many people still practiced herbal and local remedies, and some still believed that witchcraft could solve health problems. According to Dr.Redha the early days were very interesting days, and there were many challenges. Today Dr Redha is an established name and a loved and respected doctor. His contribution to the medical services has been immense.

Winner - 2 : Late Dr. Amina Kazim The recent demise of Dr Amina Ali Kazim plunged Rashid Hospital into an atmosphere of gloom such was the esteem and love held by all Rashid Hospital staff for this gem of a woman. Dr Amina, Mannoo to close friends and relatives, was a popular anesthetist endeared by friends, colleagues and patients alike. She was kind, considerate and placed the comfort of patients far above that of herself. She was a humble and honest woman but had a presence, which could not be ignored. She has been described to be above religion, caste, race or creed, and an open-minded and fair person. She had an iron will and endured pain especially during her last days without whining or complaining. One nurse said, " I can always picture Dr. Amina running along the corridor, pushing the trolley and consoling the patient. This is the way I 'll always remember her." Her patient's interests were always put before her own. She was known to be generous with money and lent money to whoever needed a helping hand without ever both ask for it back. She was the head of the Department of Anesthesia and was a mentor to physicians junior to her. Although she did not have a formal post as lecturer in the Co Medicine she taught residents working under her 'on the job', and believed in the apprentice system of training. She had a great sense of fun and was an incredible woman, one of a kind. She was well t and was very interested in history and the arts. She was the first UAE national woman to private pilot license on 26th September 1979 from the Burnside -OTT Aviation Center in Dr Amina Kazim was born in Dubai on the 24th of February 1937 and died on 18th of March 2000, leaving behind 3 sisters, a brother and one daughter. She did her schooling in Bombay, India and obtained her Secondary School Certificate in 1954, following which she attended the Lady Harding Medical College, New Delhi, India, from which she graduated MBBS In 1961. She completed her internship in the K E M College; Bombay went on to specialize In Anesthesia from the same institution. After obtaining her specialization she returned to Dubai and joined AI Maktoum Hospital in 1965. She was the first UAE national lady physician and the only UAE national lady anesthetist in the whole of the UAE. She was awarded for distinction in service after the end of 30 years service in the health services of Dubai. She was also awarded by the Emirates Medical Association for her role in the foundation Association.