Event highlights women leadership role in the UAE’s healthcare sector

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The International Women Board of Directors (IWBD) successfully concluded the groundbreaking HER Impact: Women Leadership in Healthcare Roundtable. This inspiring event held recently at Fakeeh University Hospital in Dubai, brought together industry leaders and prominent figures to champion women's leadership and shape the future of healthcare.

This exclusive gathering featured distinguished leaders in healthcare, including: Dr Hussain Abdulrahman Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for the Public Health Sector at MoHAP,  Dr Ayesha Ahmad Saif AlTheeb, Head of Public Health Programs & Studies Section, Consultant Public Health, Dubai Health Authority, Dr Alya Zaid Harbi, Director of the Statistics and Research Centre at MoHAP, Dr Mohaymen Abdelghany, CEO of Fakeeh University Hospital, Mohamad Fakih, Chief Nursing Officer of Fakeeh University Hospital, Karen Kamel, Regional Managing Director, McCann Health, Maysoun Ramadan, Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Partner, Roche,  Imane Boudellioua, Senior Researcher, Technology Innovation Center and Malek El Husseini, Regional Director ME, UCLA Health.

These distinguished speakers led discussions on critical topics shaping the future of healthcare, including neurodiversity in the workplace, the challenges of the sandwich generation, and the power of kindness in healthcare leadership.

Dr Hussain Abdulrahman Al Rand highlighted the significant strides women have made in the UAE, emphasising, "In the UAE, women's leadership has made remarkable progress in recent years. The country's leadership actively promotes gender equality and empowers women to lead across sectors. Their contributions have been pivotal in advancing the country's healthcare system and ensuring high-quality patient care."

Dr Ayesha Ahmad Saif AlTheeb added, "A gender-balanced boardroom is critical for generating innovation, minimizing risks, and more accurately representing the different perspectives of employees, patients, and communities serviced. Senior women in healthcare have a unique intersectional grasp of the industry's concerns."

Dr Mohaymen Abdelghany, CEO of Fakeeh University Hospital, emphasized their commitment to gender equality, stating, "At Fakeeh University Hospital, we firmly believe that gender equality is not just a moral imperative but a strategic driver of innovation and growth. By fostering a diverse and inclusive leadership team, we harness a wider range of perspectives and experiences, leading to more robust decision-making and a more creative problem-solving approach. We're proud to have 35% women on our board and 60% in our workforce, and we're committed to fostering a culture of inclusivity for sustainable growth."

Poonam Chawla, Founder and Managing Director of IWBD, highlighted the necessity of women's leadership in healthcare, stating, "The global health landscape demands a diversity of voices and leadership. Regional disparities and the under-representation of women in healthcare leadership are simply unacceptable. 

At the International Women Board of Directors, we believe women's leadership in healthcare is not just an aspiration but a necessity for achieving health and prosperity for all. This roundtable marks a crucial step in accelerating progress, ensuring gender equity at every level from local communities to the global stage."