New Delhi, 4 June, 2005(WAM)The Saifee Hospital, an ultra-modern,multi-speciality hospital conceptualised and built by the 52ndDai al-Mutlaq, His Holiness Dr. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, Head of the Dawoodi Bohra Community, was inaugurated todayby the Indian Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, in Mumbaiin the western Indian state of Maharashtra.

The hospital is a tribute to and in memory of Dr. Syedna Taher Saifuddin , the father and predecessorof the present head of the Dawoodi Bohra Community. The hospitalhas been constructed by donations and contributions from theDawoodi Bohra community. The opening of the Rs 1.5 billion hospital coincided with the 94th birthday of His HolinessDr Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin.

A delegation from the UAE led by the Director of Asianand African Affairs at the UAE Foreign Ministry and representativeof the UAE Government, Saeed Ahmed Al Musalli, attended theinauguration. "The Saifee Hospital is a very modern hospitalhaving the most modern equipment. It has 250 beds and is up-to-datein all respects," Musalli stated. He was accompaniedby a delegation of including Abdulla Al Ghurair from theUAE business world and the former General Prosecutor of Dubai,Ibrahim Abu Mlhah. The UAE Consul-General in Mumbai was alsopresent.

The Indian Prime Minister urged the private sector toplay a role in meeting the health care needs of the people,especially the poor. ''This hospital is unique not just in itsmodernity but also in the philanthropic spirit of the Bohra Community,"said Dr.Singh.

Dr Syedna Burhanuddin, in his address, saidhe was overwhelmed that the Prime Minister had agreed to be presentat the hospital inauguration. ''May your dreams for the nationbe transformed into reality,'' he said.

The function, which was attended by the Chief Ministerof Maharashtra,Vilasrao Deshmukh, and various delegations fromaround the world, was broadcast live on television. The ArabWorld was represented by invitees from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait,Bahrain, Yemen, Lebanon and Syria, apart from the UAE. There were delegations from the U.S.A., U.K., Germany, Tanzania,Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Kenya. The World Health Organisationalso conveyed their message through video. Many important Indianpolitical leaders and personalities from different fields attendedthe function. They included actors Dilip Kumar and his wifeSaira Banu, Dharmendra and Raj Babbar, who are also members of parliament, and Jackie Shroff as well asformer Indian cricket captain Sunil Gavaskar .

The Saifee Hospital has 259 in-patient capacity and medicalteams in 28 departments, each led by specialists in the fieldand supported by state-of-the-art technology and the best medicalequipment in the world today. The hospital is centrally locatedat Charni Road in South Mumbai with easy access for everyonein need. The hospital began functioning on a modest note in1948 and in 2001 the actual construction started to upgradeits medical care facilities. The hospital also has beds totake care of needy patients, free of charge. The Arabian Seafacing, imposing Saifee Hospital has architecture that carefullyfuses a traditional Islamic dome and arch structure with a contemporaryglass curtain facade. Altogether, the hospital exudes a soothingambience with its walls a mere hundred feetfrom the shoreline.