22 May 2017

Dubai, UAE - Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Islamic Organization for Medical Sciences, at the organization's headquarters in Kuwait.

The aim of the MoU is to enhance the cooperation between the two sides and exchange experiences to consolidate the adherence to the Islamic ethics in the medical practices, and to promote the advancement of research and scientific institutions in the Islamic countries, particularly in the UAE and Kuwait.

Dr. Abdul Rahman Al Awadhi, the Chairman of the Islamic Organization for Medical Sciences, praised the important developmental and enlightenment role of the Patron of the award, H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, the UAE Minister of Finance, and the Chairman of the Dubai Health Authority, in many countries around the world.

“H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid supports many important projects, for Islam and Muslims, with the aim of showing the truth of tolerance in Islam and building bridges with non-Muslims”, he said.

“H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid was a pioneer in establishing many important projects including, but not limited to, the Islamic Cultural Center, Ireland, Al -Maktoum College of Higher Education, Scotland, and the Islamic Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands”, he added.

“Beside the educational, cultural and developmental projects in many poor countries in Asia and Africa, H.H. Sheikh Hamdan has established other promising projects in Australia and the Americas”, he said.

“H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid contributes to developing the medical sectors within the UAE and abroad. The award’s Center for Arab Genetic Studies has been a pioneer in stimulating interest in scientific research in the field of the Human Genome in the Arab countries in order to catch up with the world tremendous scientific revolution in this field, in accordance with the principles of Islam”, Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Awadhi added.

“Because of all these exceptional achievements, the Islamic Organization for Medical Sciences has sought to strengthen the cooperation bonds with one of the most important institutions of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan; namely the Hamdan Medical Award”, he added.

“Since 2015, the two sides have started to work on establishing a framework for the mutual cooperation, and their efforts were culminated with signing the MoU. Therefore, several important and distinctive projects are expected to be established in the future”, he said.

For his part, Mirza Al Sayegh praised the Islamic Organization for Medical Sciences, by saying: “The organization was founded in 1984, in Kuwait, with the aim of reviving the doctrines of the Islamic Religion relating to the treatment of and protection against various physical and psychological ailments, seeking to reach a common ground on controversial medical and legal issues in the application of recent medical and legal issues, and coordinating efforts exerted in the field of health services in the Islamic World”.

“Because of its sincere efforts, and its honest opinion in many issues in the medical arena, from an Islamic perspective, the organization has become a world-renowned body and an official representative of the “Islamic Medical Jurisprudence” in international events”, he added.

“The organization has undertaken the task of making many crucial decisions in many important medical issues, including but not limited to; organ transplants, human genome practices, genetic engineering, and others”, he said.

“Moreover, the organization has become a member of many international organizations including the World Health Organization, UNESCO, ISESCO, the International Islamic Fiqh Academy in Jeddah, the Islamic Fiqh Academy in Makkah Al-Mukarramah, Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, and others”.

Represented the Hamdan Medical Award, the MoU was signed by Mirza Al -Sayegh, a member of the award’s Board of Trustees, in the presence of the Board’s members Dr. Ahmed Al Hashemi and Abdullah Bin Souqat.

Also, Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awadhi, the Chairman of the Islamic Organization for Medical Sciences, signed the MoU in the presence of Dr. Ali Yousuf, Secretary General, Dr. Ahmed Rajai Al-Gendi, Assistant Secretary General, and the members of the organization’s board of trustees Dr. Abdullah Al-Ghunaim, Abdullah Al-Issa, and Dr. Ojael Jasim.

Dr. Ahmed Al Hashemi, a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Hamdan Medical Award said: “I am so grateful for this cooperation. We will prepare a periodic map of the joint scientific activities and events whose aim is to enhance awareness towards the adherence to Islamic ethics among professionals in medical sectors”.

Abdullah Bin Souqat, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Hamdan Medical Award, expressed his optimism for the fruitful and constructive cooperation with the Islamic Organization for Medical Sciences. “The adherence to the rules of the Islamic jurisprudence in the modern medical practices will enhance the confidence in the UAE medical institutions, and will help to increase the flow of medical tourism”.

“I would like to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to all the officials in the Islamic Organization for Medical Sciences for their keenness to establish a strategic partnership with the award”, he added.

© Press Release 2017