Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, the Director of the UAE University and a member of the Board of Trustees of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences, and Prof. Najib Al Khaja, the Secretary General of the award, held a press conference to announce the winners of the award in its 8th term 2013-2014 with a total monetary value of AED 2.8 million.

The press conference was held today morning at Al Bustan Rotana Hotel in Dubai in the presence of Robert Waller, the USA consul in Dubai, Sheif AL Bedewi, the Egyptian Consul in Dubai, Junjan Goel, the Liberian Consul in Dubai, Dr. Salem Al Darmaki, Advisor to the UAE Minister of health, Dr Ahmed Ibrahim Bin Kalban, CEO of Hospital Services Sector at the DHA, the director of Tawam Hospital, Dr. Obaid Al Jassim, Head of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Dubai Hospital, Dr. Arif Al Mullah, Head of the cardiology department, Dubai Hospital, Dr. Siham Al Dien Galadari, head of the award’s Medical Research Grant Committee, Mr. Abdullah bin Souqat, the Executive Director of the award and a group of media people.

At the beginning of the meeting, Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, delivered a speech in which he extended his sincere thanks and appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Deputy Ruler of Dubai and the UAE Minister of Finance, for his role in establishing and promoting medical excellence locally, regionally and internationally, through his kind patronage and tireless support of the Award activities. This has made a great impact because it moved the Award into the top ranks in this field internationally during 16 years since its establishment in 1999 until this day.

 

“Along with the Award’s efforts to support the advancement of the health sector through its Centre for Arab Genomic Studies, Research Support and Community Service Center, Publishing Center and Continuing Medical Education Center, honoring the excellent individuals and institutions remains at the top of the Award’s achievements in which we, the citizens of the United Arab Emirates, all take pride and cherish”, he said.

 

“Today, we are going to announce the winners of Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences, including the international, Arab and UAE awards. As we know, the Award, in its current term, has selected the drug discovery as the topic of the Grand Hamdan International Award, and the targeted therapy, cell therapy and vaccines as the topics of the Hamdan Award for Medical Research Excellence”, he added.

“Heightened global interest in these topics is a clear evidence that our scientific committee had the foresight to select such topics for this award two years ago in December 2012, but of course it is not just a fortuitous choice, it was rather based on a systematic analysis of data from the healthcare sector worldwide.”, Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi said.

 

“The current term of the Award is one of the UAE ambitious initiatives, through which we call upon all health institutions around the world to promote plans for scientific studies and research in general. The ultimate aim is to put together a joint global protocol for rapid response to new epidemics that would rapidly sweep through many countries around the world, brining instability and terror”, he said.

 

Then, Prof. Najib AL Khaja, Secretary General of Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid AL Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences delivered a speech in which he welcomed the attendees to this important meeting in which the names of the winners of Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences will be announced.

 “As usual, this meeting takes place every two years to announce the winners of Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences. Our meeting for today is held in conjunction with the end of the Award’s 8th term, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the General Secretariat of the Award and all people in charge of it, particularly the members of the scientific committees headed by Prof. Dr. Youssef Abdul Razzaq, for their tireless efforts to select the winners by all impartial and transparent means in cooperation with a panel of international arbitrators who are known for their competence and integrity in their specialties”, Prof. Najib Al Khaja.

 

Then, Prof. Najib Al Khaja announced the winners. Regarding the International awards, the Grand Hamdan Award on the topic of Drug Discovery is won by Prof. Magid Abou Gharbia, USA.

Concerning Hamdan award for Medical Research Excellence, on the topic of vaccines, it is won by Prof. Stanley A Plotkin from USA. The same award on the topic of cell therapy is for Prof. Carl June, USA, and Prof. Olle Ringden, Sweden. Prof. Brian J Druker, USA, won the award on the topic of targeted therapy.

 

The third award in the International awards is Hamdan Award for Volunteers in Humanitarian Medical Services and it is won by the Carter Center, USA, Noor Dubai Foundation, UAE, Dr. Mads Fredrik Gilbert, Norway, and Dr. Melvin Korkor, Liberia.

 

Regarding the Arab World Awards, College of Medicine & Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Sultanate of Oman, and Mongi Ben Hamida National Institute of neurology, Tunisia, won the Hamdan Award for Medical College/Institute or Centre in the Arab World. 

Prof. Mohamed Ghoneim, Egypt, and Dr. Zohair Yousef Al Halees, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia won Hamdan Award for Distinguished Personalities in the Arab World.

Regarding the UAE awards, Department of Pediatrics, Tawam Hospital, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, and Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Surgery Centre, Dubai Hospital, won the Hamdan Award for Outstanding Clinical Department in the Public Sector in the UAE.

 

A research paper entitled “In vitro interactions between rodent hepatic stellate cells and metastaticand non-metastatic human colorectal cancer cell lines” by Dr. Sirag Bennaser, UK, won Hamdan Award for Original Research Paper Published in the Hamdan Medical Journal.

 

Prof. Najib Al Khaja noted that the winners will be honored during the Awards ceremony that is to be held on 15th December in Rashid Hall at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre in the presence of the Award Patron, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Deputy Ruler of Dubai and the UAE Minister of Finance.

 

“In conjunction with the Awards ceremony, the Award will organize the 8th Dubai International Conference for Medical Sciences from 15th to 17th December in Al Bustan Rotana Hotel in Dubai. The conference will discuss the main topics of the Award in its current term concerning drug discovery, targeted therapy, cell therapy and vaccines with the participation of the winners of Grand Hamdan International Award, Hamdan Award for Medical Research Excellence and Hamdan Award for Volunteers in Humanitarian Medical Services for the first time in the history of the Conference”, he said.

 “At the end of my speech, I’d like to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Deputy Ruler of Dubai and the Minister of Finance, the Patron of the Award, H.E. Abdul Rahman Al Owais, Minister of Health and chairman of the board of trustees, H.E. Eng. Eissa AL Maidoor, Director General of the Dubai Health Authority and the Vice Chairman of the board of trustees, and the members”, he added.

Prof. Al Khaja thanked the distinguished guests for their participation in this important meeting, especially the media men and women who are the representatives of prominent media institutions with a main role in supporting the development and construction process. He also congratulated the winners, and wished them more success.