Academic Qualifications
- Bachelor of Medicine & Surgery – Cairo University 1970
- Pediatrics Diploma 1972 – Cairo
- PhD in pediatrics – Cairo 1980
Membership and Fellowship
- MRCPI 2004
- MRCPCH 2005
- Fellow of Royal Society of Health 1983
- Fellow of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene 1983
Professional Profile and Experience
- Senior Consultant in Pediatrics and Heart Diseases in Children
- Chief Executive Officer of Al Wasl Hospital (Currently known as Latifa Hospital)
- Professor at the Academic Department of Pediatrics at the Dubai Medical College for Girls
- MRCPCH Examiner
- Honorary Member of World Wide Genius Handicapped Organisation
- Chairperson for the Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences
- Former Member of Dubai Chamber Group for Health Education 98
- Former Member of Local Committee of the Arab Board of Medical Specializations – UAE
- Consultant Member and Chairman of the Medical Research Committee at the Ministry of Health
- Chairman of Dubai Foundation for Women and Children
- Director of Medical Specialists Center
Major Achievements
- Revealed the risk of bint Al Dhahab substance in newborns and published a paper on this finding in the UK and the US
- First Emirati pediatrician to obtain PhD in Pediatrics in 1980
- Founder of Pediatrics Division in Department of Health (1973)
- Founder of Pediatric Cardiovascular Diagnosis Unit at the Department of Health and Medical Services 1983
- Co-founder of Thalassemia Center at Al Wasl Hospital (2006)
- Co-founder of Neonatal (Premature Baby) Care Section at Rashid Hospital with a capacity of 20 beds, at Dubai Hospital (24 beds) and at Al Wasl Hospital (60 beds).
- Co-founder and chairman of the Emirates Medical Association for two rounds
- Co-founder and chairman of Dubai Center for Special Care in 1984
Awards & Recognitions
- Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum Prize 1989
- Dubai Government Excellence Award for Best Supervisor, 2001
- Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences (Distinguished Personalities in the UAE) 2010.
- Princess Haya Award for Special Education 2015
- Founding Member's Award of the Emirates Medical Association
- Rashid Hospital Appreciation Award for 30 years of service
- Dubai Health Authority Appreciation Award for 40 years of service
Conferences, Research and Studies
- Attended 110 medical conferences at the local and regional levels
- Published 22 papers in pediatrics including 16 in international medical journals and 6 in a local medical journal
- Wrote a book on child and life 1990
- Supervised "Infectious Disease Control in Hospitals" book in cooperation with a team
Key Challenges
With fewer diagnostic tools in the past, we were relying on guessing and personal experience. This posed a great challenge and dictated constant research and reading and attendance of conferences to share opinions with doctors around the world to know what's new in medical sciences and employ it in patient treatment.
When to retire as a doctor
Medical professionals have no specific time limit or working hours. Working 24 hours, they should have a professional code of ethics which do not let doctors enjoy any moment if they feel that they had ignored a patient as it is professionally unethical to do so. Any doctor who belongs to this field and practices the medical profession with all his/her heart and soul will know what I mean. Medicine is a lifetime career and death is the only thing that can ever stop a doctor.
How do you see retirement?
There is no time limit for practicing medicine. We have always to share the experience we have gained. I do not believe in a thing called retirement. I believe that we all should do our job forever in our own way and according to our experience, job nature and ambitions.
Secret of Success
One of the key factors in successful medical career is to love your job. As the saying goes; you should love what you do until you do what you love. A doctor should show patience, credibility and modesty. These are the keys to unlock people hearts. You should be caring for others as nothing can bring you people respect than paying keen attention to them. You should also be proactive and get the lead in your work environment. A proactive approach gives you better future outlook.
Tips for the Young Generation
I think youth should have broader horizons and should benefit from past experiences. The medical world is wide open. However, doctors should fight their way through it, armed with knowledge and experience. Our nation expects doctors to give more as their families and society have high expectations for them. Equipped with skills and better time management, doctors should live up to these expectations. They should find the beauty deep inside them, rediscover themselves and put themselves on the right track.
Tips to the Retirees
I must say that there are generations you should not lose communication with because they need your experience. Be patient with them, these generations are not like any other past generation. Stir up their emotions, pass on useful and constructive tips, make up with them, accept them as they are and try to develop their abilities and improve their attitudes. Do not break their hearts; they are our children.
Be honest and come to terms with yourselves. Be a role model to them in order to encourage them to understand and accept our advice as you can't give a thing that you do not have. Encourage fair competition between them and remember that fathers should always give and sons should show gratitude. May God bless you and your children and give you a good health and wellbeing.
Childcare tips for Parents
My advice to parents is to pay attention to their children's physical and psychological health and keep the children away from smart devices as much as possible as it would bring them joy at first but they will end up in the blues. Deal them good treatment. Mother should not be their teacher as this is not her job so that it can be bad for them. Parents should diversify external activities for their children and finally you should pay attention to teach them Arabic which is the source of our values, culture and identity.
