The International Hospital Federation (IHF) has honoured H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum as the world's best personality in the fields of health, education, and sports for 2001-2005. Sheikh Hamdan, Dubai Deputy Ruler, Minister of Finance and Industry and Head of the Dubai Department of Health and Medical Services, is the first Arab personality who is accorded this honour.
During the functions of the International Medical Diagnostics (IMD-Dubai 2005) Conferences, the IHF also honoured five pioneers in medicine from the United Arab Emirates. Professor Per-Gunnar Svensson, Director General of IHF, presented the Awards for "Health Services Achievements in the Middle East" to Prof. Najib Al Khaja, Dr. Mahmoud Taleb Al Ali, Dr. Sharaban Abdullah, Dr. Awatif Al Bahar, and Dr. Ameena AlMarzouqi for their contributions in health care.
Presently, Professor Najib Al Khaja is the Director of the Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Surgery Centre, Dubai Hospital. He is also Professor and Head of Academic Department of Surgery, Vice-Dean of the Dubai Medical College for Girls, and Member of the Board of Trustees and Secretary General of the Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences. Dr. Al Khaja is also a visiting consultant to the Cardio thoracic Centre in Monaco. Prof. Al Khaja is the member of Scandinavian Association for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, International College of Angiology, Saudi Heart Association, UAE Medical Association, European Association of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Asian Annals of Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgery, Emirates Medical Journal - Editorial Board and the Arab Board for Postgraduate Studies. He is also member of the Third World Academy of Science (TWAS). In 1999, Prof.Al Khaja received the award of the "Best Employee of the Year" from the Department of Health and Medical Services (DOHMS) in Dubai. He also received a special award for teh establishment of the Cardiac Surgery Department and his distinguished role in the field in Dubai Hospital under DOHMS.
Dr. Mahmoud Taleb Al Ali is a consultant geneticist and head of Genetics Centre at Al Wasl Hospital Dubai. He is also the Director of the Centre for Arab Genomic Studies. Dr. Al Ali is an adjacent Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at the Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, UAE University. Dr. Al Ali graduated in Laboratory Medicine from University of Kentucky, USA and received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry & Molecular Endocrinology from University of London Medical School. At the present Dr. Al Ali is involved in laboratory diagnosis and research related to inherited metabolic diseases. He has developed a department of metabolic genetics that serves the region.