Yesterday marked the end of the awareness campaign for rare diseases led by the Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences. The campaign took place over a week across the United Arab Emirates (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Fujairah) with the slogan “Show Your Rare, Show You Care”. Doctors, nurses, and the leaders of special needs’ support organizations took part in the campaign.

The Award organized a show at the Dubai Dolphinarium, which was attended by His Excellency Abdullah Bin Souqat, Executive Manager of the Award. He expressed his utmost happiness at the campaign’s success over the week. The campaign was inaugurated last Saturday at Mohammed Bin Rashid Academic Medical Center in Dubai Healthcare City, with workshops being held for families, dieticians, and nurses. A total of 250 participants and attendees were present. Lectures were also held at 24 secondary schools accredited by the Ministry of Education. The campaign concluded with a series of children’s events, such as an art workshop, educational competitions, and the show at the Dubai Dolphinarium.

His Excellency added: “[The campaign’s] success acts as an incentive for the Award to continue to extend its outreach to the community in order to raise awareness about these illnesses; not just on International Rare Disease Day, but year-round.”

Dr. Fatima Bastaki, Consultant Pediatrician and Clinical Geneticist, Latifa Hospital for Women and Children, and Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the campaign, added that the campaign serves to involve members of all factions of society – to raise awareness about rare diseases, highlight the importance of the combined efforts of the public and government organizations against cases of rare disease, and encourage early detection and treatment.

At the campaign’s Rare Disease Day event, the Sheikh Hamdan Award announced and rewarded the winners of the school competitions throughout the week.