Dubai
First Emirati surgeon, Dr. Ahmad Kazim and his sister Dr. Zainab Kazim, the first Emirati female doctor, were among a number of pioneers of the healthcare sector honoured at the second Annual Health Awards on Monday.
Jointly organised by Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and HEALTH Magazine, the ceremony at Grand Hyatt saw more than 50 achievers and trendsetters in healthcare being felicitated.
An orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Kazim was the first Emirati to become a medical doctor in 1954 and the first in a long list of doctors in his family of 16 siblings that also include Dr. Zainab Kazim.
Having completed his MBBS with a gold medal from Bombay University, following his primary and high school education in the same city, Dr. Kazim started his career in 1955 as a casualty officer in Trinidad.
He then went on to obtain FRCS from Edinburgh in 1958 and FRCS from England in 1960, before returning to Trinidad as a senior orthopaedic surgeon.
However, he returned to the UAE in 1975, when he realised his country required his service.
“After completing my education and serving for several years in Trinidad I was wondering, what is my identity. I left my country as a child and after 16 years in Bombay I want to Trinidad and the UK for further studies and service, then I realised its time to go back and serve my country so I returned in 1975,” said Dr. Kazim, who retired in 2003.
Dr. Kazim joined Rashid Hospital in 1977 and then moved on to Dubai Hospital where he served as the head of orthopaedic department until his retirement.
A recipient of several awards, including the ‘Pioneer of the UAE’ honour from the Government of the UAE, the 91-year-old is still very active and continues his private practice.
His sister, Dr Zainab Kazim, the first Emirati gynecologist, was also honoured for her services to the community.
The 83-year-old, who also studied in Bombay, started her practice in 1964 with Kuwaiti Hospital and later on went on to set up the first private clinic in Dubai.
Having supervised more than 18,000 childbirths, Dr. Zainab continues to practice at her private clinic Al Shunnar Polyclinic.
“She is someone who has devoted her life to serve Emirati women. She worked day and night and was always there. It was her real passion to serve those in need. She would go out in the middle of the night to the desert villages to help deliver babies,” said Dr. Buthainah Al Sunnar, Dr. Zainab’s daughter, who is also a doctor and received an award on Monday for her services in plastic surgery.
Dr. Zainab has received several other awards throughout her career, including the UAE Pioneer Award and the Shaikh Hamdan Award for Medical Sciences.
Apart from Dr. Ahmad Kazim and Dr. Zainab Kazim, other recipients of the special award on Monday included Shaikh Faisal Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Chairman, Julphar; Dr. Raja Easa Saleh Al Gurg, Chairperson, Al Jalila Foundation; Dr. Najib Al Khaja, Secretary-General, Shaikh Hamdan Awards for Medical Sciences; Dr. Yousuf Abdul Razak Al Bastaki, Director — Medical Education, DHA; Prof. Rafia Ghobhash, former President, Arabian Gulf University; Dr. Abdulla Al Khayat, former Director, Latifa Hospital, and many others.
Humaid Al Qutami, Chairman of the Board and Director-General of the Dubai Health Authority, presented the awards in the presence of Dr. Thumbay Moideen, founder President of Thumbay Group and publisher of HEALTH magazine.
Bollywood actor Sunjay Dutt, his wife Manyata Dutt and Rimi Sen as well as Arab celebrity Mayssa Maghrebi attended the event to unveil the latest edition of the bimonthly Health magazine.
Apart from individuals hospitals and other healthcare organisations were also awarded in several categories including research, innovation, medical tourism, CSR, etc.
List of winners
Corporate category
Distinguished Hospitals:
1. Prime Hospital, Dubai
2. Al Zahra Hospital, Dubai
Distinguished Clinics:
1. Child Early Intervention Medical Center, Dubai
2. Prime Medical Centers, UAE
Distinguished Laboratory Services:
1. Biosytech Medical Laboratory, Dubai
Distinguished Pharmacies:
1. Burjeel Hospital Pharmacy, Abu Dhabi
Distinguished Pharmaceutical Companies:
1. Neopharma, Abu Dhabi
Distinguished Medical Equipment & Supplies Providers:
1. Al Shomoukh Trading (Astamed), Dubai
2. Roche Diagnostics Middle East FZCO, Dubai
Distinguished Organisations For Innovative Technology:
1. DHA (Dubai Health Authority)-Primary Healthcare Service Sector, Dubai
2. Spotcheck, Dubai
Distinguished Organisations for CSR contribution:
1. University Hospital, Sharjah
Distinguished Organisations for Medical Tourism:
1. Canadian Specialist Hospital, Dubai
Distinguished Organisations for Hospital Infrastructure Development:
1. RAK Hospital, Ras Al Khaimah
Distinguished Entity for Treating People of Determination:
1. Family Gathering — Dubai Health Authority, Dubai
2. School Health Services — Dubai health Authority, Dubai
