United Arab Emirates, Dubai, July 23, 2018:   In a bid to provide free high-cost cardiac surgeries and other humanitarian aid services in the medical field, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) today signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Mohammed bin Rashid Charity and Humanitarian Establishment (MBRCHE). 

The two organisations have a long-standing relationship and the aim of the MoU is to expand cooperation to reach out to individuals and communities in need of medical services. 

The MoU will enable the DHA to provide medical treatment to those with financial difficulties and MBRCHE will fund the treatment. The two sides will also continue cooperation for the Nabadat program, which is under the patronage of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives.

Nabadat, which means heartbeat in Arabic, is a joint initiative that provides free medical assistance, surgery and post-surgical care to children whose parents cannot afford to pay for treatment of congenital heart diseases. 

So far, since its inception, more than 1,000 children have received free heart surgeries or catherization procedures and more than 5000 children have received free cardiac screening. The Nabadat team has visited Sudan thrice. The team has also provided free heart surgeries to children in Addis Ababa, Mauritania, India, Egypt and Tajikistan to name a few.

The MoU will further strengthen the Nabadat program. 

Additionally, medical equipment, which is fit to be used, will be sent to countries of need.

The MoU will also provide an opportunity for enhanced cooperation for joint charitable initiatives.

HE Humaid Al Qutami, Director-General of the DHA praised the Mohammed bin Rashid Charity and Humanitarian Establishment for its role in successfully carrying out several humanitarian aid initiatives at a local, regional and global level. 

Al Qutami said the initiatives have helped make a qualitative difference in people's lives and communities, and are in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. 

He added that such initiatives reflect the values of the Founding Father of the UAE, late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. 

HE Ibrahim BuMelha, , Advisor of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for cultural and humanitarian affairs and Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Mohammed bin Rashid Charity and Humanitarian Establishment (MBRCHE) said, “The foundation is guided by the values of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and we have actively participated in aid campaigns in the medical field to help alleviate the suffering of those in need. The MoU with the DHA will help us provide high-quality medical services to those with financial difficulties. We also look forward to collaborating on a number of health initiatives.”

BuMelha added, “In line with the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, we are keen to work together with various authorities to build a secure and healthy community and serve those in need.”

He added that the two organizations have a long-term collaboration in place and this MoU will further enhance humanitarian aid initiatives in the medical field. 

He highlighted that the Nabadat initiative is part of this cooperation and that it has successfully helped fund high-cost cardiac surgeries to provide medical assistance to the youngest members of society so that they can live a healthy, normal and productive life.

At the end of the ceremony, DHA and MBRCHE felicitated the Nabadat team for providing 134 cardiac procedures (90 open-heart and 44 catherizations) free-of-cost for children aged new-born to 14 years with congenital heart ailments. 
The procedures were conducted at Fortis Hospital, Mulund and S. L. Raheja, a Fortis Associate Hospital in Mumbai. 

Additionally, the team also conducted free paediatric cardiac check-ups for more than 300 children.