MFA-MOH-SIF Joint Press Release on the visit of Her Excellency Sheikha Dr. Ghalia Mohammed Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Chairperson of the Board of Directors for the National Health Authority of the State of Qatar, 6 April 2008

Her Excellency Sheikha Dr. Ghalia Mohammed Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Chairperson of the Board of Directors for the National Health Authority of the State of Qatar, will be in town for a two-day visit (7 - 8 April), under the Middle East Eminent Persons Programme (MEEP), jointly organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Singapore International Foundation (SIF).

2 During her visit to Singapore, Sheikha Dr. Ghalia will call on Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan and receive a briefing on the Singapore healthcare system at the ministry. She will also visit KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Raffles Hospital and the Health Promotion Board.

3 A paediatric specialist by training, Sheikha Dr. Ghalia is also the Chairperson of the Paediatrics Department in Qatar, and a member of the British Paediatric Association. In addition, she is a Fellow of the Royal College of Paediatrics & Child Health, and the Royal College of Physicians. Sheikha Dr. Ghalia takes part regularly in international medical conferences.

4 On top of her professional commitments, Sheikha Dr. Ghalia is also active in community work. As Chairperson of the National Committee for Special Needs from 1998 to 2003, she helped to establish the Shafallah Centre in Qatar, an educational centre for children with special needs, including mentally challenged and autistic children. She has also been an elected member of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child since 2001. For her medical contributions and advocacy in the area of child welfare, Sheikha Dr. Ghalia was named the 'Middle East Special Lady in the Field of Social Services" in 2003.

5 Launched by MFA and SIF last year, the MEEP aims to bring distinguished personalities from the Middle East to Singapore to promote mutual understanding and cooperation, through the exchange of views with senior Singaporean leaders and government officials. Sheikha Dr. Ghalia is the first female visitor to Singapore under this programme. Past MEEP visitors include Egyptian Minister of Administrative Development, HE Dr. Ahmed Darwish; the Mayor of Jeddah, HE Adel Fakeih; UAE Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs, HE Dr. Anwar Gargash; Qatari Attorney-General, HE Dr Ali Bin Fetais Al-Marri; and Iraqi Deputy Minister for Policy Planning and Acting Deputy Minister for Political Affairs and Bilateral Relations, HE Labeed Majeed Abbawi.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
6 APRIL 2008