Abdulkareem Al Olama

Dr AbdulKareem Mohammed Ali Sultan Al Olama is a noted member of the United Arab Emirates new generation of young leaders. He is the founder of the Sultan AlOlama Medical Center; a premier medical care facility located in the Emirate of Dubai and the Executive Director of the Center for Healthcare Planning and Quality at the Dubai Healthcare City (2006-present).

Early Life and Education

Dr Abdulkareem obtained his Bachelor Degree in Medicine (MBBS) from the United Arab Emirates University where he was also employed as a teaching assistant. During his time there, he received the Certificate of Appreciation from Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan who serves as the current UAE Minister for Higher Education and Scientific Research as well as the Chancellor for two of UAE’s three Government sponsored institutions for higher learning. As part of the teaching faculty at the UAE University, he was mainly responsible for the delivery of high quality medical tuition for the entire student body while participating actively in [...] edge medical research. He then received his Post graduate degree in Healthcare Management (Medicine and Health Sciences) from the internationally reputed Royal College Of Surgeons in 2008.

Career

Dr. AbdulKareem started his career as a Business Development Manager at Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) back in 2006 where his main responsibility was the development and implementation of new projects within the DHCC framework as a key component of their growth strategy. During his tenure, he was able to develop a business plan with feasibility studies for the Boston University Institute for Dental Research and Education and played an instrumental role in the establishment of their first branch in the UAE. He was also the first to lead the concept of Dubai Medical Suites to success while attracting a large number of the country’s foremost physicians and surgeons to the project.

Noting his many achievements over the course of just one year, the Dubai Harvard Foundation for Medical Research (DHFMR), an initiative of the Harvard Medical School based in the United States of America, appointed Dr Abdulkareem as its Director in order to lead the foundation into a new era of growth and address the GCC region’s most pressing health problems. He played a pivotal role in the organization’s later successes by developing the strategy used by the DHFMR to this day and by personally managing to raise more than AED100 million (USD 27.3 million) worth of investment into the Foundation’s budget. Dr Abdulkareem is considered responsible for having developed the funding model and accreditation process for the Post Graduate Medical Foundation Program that serves as the core of the Foundation’s selection processes.

Not content with his earlier achievements, he then founded his own chain of designer clinics in the Emirate of Dubai. The Sultan Al Olama Medical Center, as it is called offers 14 different specialties out of 3 branches located in the hub of Dubai’s commercial and residential districts. The clinics continue to serve an ever increasing clientele base composed mainly of Emiratis and Western Expatriates.

Following the establishment of his clinic, Dr Abdulkareem was then appointed to the position of Executive Director for the Center for Healthcare Planning and Quality in 2009; the role he is most known for today. The Center for Healthcare Planning and Quality(CPQ) was first established as an independent regulatory body that held the role of setting and maintaining international best practices in the healthcare delivery and patient care available at the Dubai Healthcare City. But over time, the CPQ board of Directors has become synonymous with the United Arab Emirates chief decision makers regarding all health policies and initiatives undertaken in the country. Dr Abdulkareem was able to introduce a new customer centric approach in his new role as Executive Director and established a stronger relationship with all major local , regional and international Healthcare regulatory Authorities while achieving major savings in the budget without compromising the quality of services provided. For this he was rated as the most supportive, positive and approachable leader by the CPQ Employees.

Al Jalila Foundation Board of Trustees

Dr AbdulKareem was recently appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of the Al Jalila Foundation by Princess Haya bint Al Hussein, Wife of Sheikh Mohammed and Chairperson of Dubai Healthcare City Authority (DHCA). The Al Jalila Foundation is a not-for-profit organization established by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, to support medical education and research and to outline a fundraising strategy to raise AED 100 million for the Foundation by the end of 2013. The main objective of the Al Jalila Foundation is to make available the necessary grant and seed money to start research projects that will create the right environment to attract lading researchers and institutions to conduct their research activities in the GCC region. The Foundation is also meant to play a vital role in educating new healthcare professionals, conducting health awareness campaigns, promoting healthy lifestyles and preventive measures. Dr Abdulkareem, in his acceptance speech outlined the aims of the Al Jalila Foundation in the following words: "A nation's investment in research is an investment in its people and their prosperity, and our efforts today will have a direct impact on future generations. Our fundraising efforts, which will revolve around promoting medical education and research and supporting underprivileged individuals who cannot afford healthcare, will, no doubt, meet the needs of Dubai and the region. We have a very extensive network of global industry leaders, distinguished researchers and healthcare experts that we will tap in to."

Awards And Recognition

Dr Abdulkareem Sultan Al Olama’s illustrious career has been highlighted by the many awards he has received such as the Innovator of the Year and Best Customer Service Project Leader awards from the Dubai Healthcare City in 2010. He is also a recipient of the Dubai Holding Future Leaders Program “LEADON” Award for Best project. In 2008, he was nominated for the Dubai Healthcare City CEO’s Leadership award and received a Letter of Recognition for his contribution to the DHCC Academic and Research Council.

Committee Membership

Dr AbdulKareem is considered an eminent figure in UAE society and serves as the Chairman of the Project Management Board for the Du

and Mobile Doctors 24/7 committee which is responsible for overseeing medical transportation facilities all across the UAE. He is also a member for the Board of Directors of the Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services and the UAE Nursing and Midwifery Council. He also serves on a number of committees dealing with various public health issues with the Ministry of Health, such as the National [...] Registration& Pricing Committee, Healthcare Committee for Disabled, Healthcare Ethics Committee etc to name a few.