The Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, today officially launched Al Jalila Foundation, a non-profit organisation whose mandate is to promote the UAE as a centre of excellence for medical research and education. Sheikh Mohammed was escorted during the ceremony by his daughter, Sheikha Al Jalila.

The opening ceremony, which took place at Dubai Health Care City, was attended by H.H. Sheikh Majed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, Mariam bint Mohammed Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of Social Affairs, Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State, and a number of senior officials, medical researchers, donors and philanthropists.

Al Jalila Foundation aims to promote the UAE as a centre of excellence in the field of medical education and research and position Dubai at the forefront of medical innovation. The Foundation will facilitate medical treatment; provide academic scholarships; fund groundbreaking research; champion healthcare awareness programs; foster strategic partnerships with local and global entities and advocate for progressive policies to ensure a sustainable future for Dubai, enhancing its global position as a medical hub.

The Chairperson of the Board of the Directors and Member of the Board of Trustees, Raja Al Gurg, addressed the audience, saying : “Al Jalila Foundation will provide a new catalyst for complementing efforts aimed at building a health society.” With Al Jalila Foundation in action, she added, many doors will open to many medical achievements that could not previously become a tangible reality.

She called for all stakeholders to pool their resources for shaping future of the present and future generations.

”The tremendous efforts we are making today will have far-reaching, positive impact on the health being of children in the region, generation after generation.”

Speaking also at the event, Dr Abdul Kareem Sultan Al Olama, CEO of the Foundation, said: ”We have high hopes the Foundation will be instrumental in addressing current health challenges as part of the UAE quest for a better healthy future.” While delivering its mission through an integrated medical system, he added, the Foundation will focus on treatment, education and research.

He said the Foundation will play a vital role in advancing the UAE’s standing as a global premier centre of health care excellence. It will focus mainly on healthcare challenges across the Emirates to support Vision 2021 by developing pioneering ways to combat locally prevalent illnesses through cutting-edge medical research.

His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, in his capacity as the Ruler of Dubai, issued a law setting up the Al Jalila Foundation for supporting medical education and research in the emirate.

Law No 10 of 2012 was issued by Shaikh Mohammad on Sunday. The law stipulates that the foundation will be a non-profitable entity that serves as a corporate body enjoying financial and administrative independence with the aim of improving healthcare services by encouraging scientific research in all medical specialisations.

He also issued decree No 23 for 2012, forming the board of trustees of the newly established foundation under the chairmanship of Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group. The five member board includes Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, Abdul Hamid Ahmad Seddiqi, Abdul Gaffar Ghuloum Hussain, Raja Eisa Saleh Al Gurg, and Hussain Abdul Rahman Khan Sahib.

The foundation, headquartered in the Dubai Healthcare City, will help achieve the UAE’s pioneering in the field of medical science by granting scholarships and financing medical research, as well as enhancing excellence in the medical academic and research field in the UAE and abroad.

It will encourage researchers to create and excel in specialised medical fields, guide them towards research of benefit for the society, and contribute to the scientific progress in order to achieve sustainable development for local, regional and international communities.

The foundation will provide financial support for scientific researches in medical areas for educational and research institutions in the UAE and abroad, grant scholarships for Emirati citizens and encourage researchers and research institutions to conduct excellent scientific research by granting them appreciation awards and cash prizes. It will also contribute to financing scientific research, programs and projects dedicated to utilising science, knowledge and technology to tackle problems facing research institutions, as well as providing curative assistance to the needy from various nationalities in the country and abroad.

The foundation will support publishing of scientific magazines and publications, sponsoring scientific conferences organised by education institutions and scientific research institutions in collaboration with Arab, regional and international educational organisations.

To achieve the foundation’s goals, a donation fund will be set up in the newly established foundation with the aim of collecting donations from public and private organisations, as well as individuals inside and outside the emirate, to finance the foundation’s project aiming at supporting education and medical scientific research.

The foundation’s board will set up a fund management committee to oversee the fund’s functions and operations for a renewable term of three years.