December 21st marks the 44th anniversary of a seminal moment in UAE healthcare history when the nation’s founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, inaugurated a comprehensive medical facility in the remote western town of Ghayathi. This strategic investment in December 1981 demonstrated the leader’s unwavering commitment to ensuring equitable healthcare access for all citizens, regardless of their geographical location.
The 50-bed hospital represented a significant advancement in medical infrastructure for the Western Region, featuring segregated outpatient clinics for men and women alongside multiple specialized treatment departments. The inauguration ceremony attracted prominent figures including Sheikh Mohammed bin Butti, the Abu Dhabi Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region, and Ahmed Khalifa Al Suweidi, the President’s Representative, underscoring the project’s national importance.
Historical accounts from Khaleej Times document Sheikh Zayed’s personal involvement in the facility’s launch, where he emphasized the government’s dedication to fulfilling citizen aspirations through modern healthcare infrastructure. During his address, the founding father highlighted the necessity of extending quality medical services to remote communities, considering healthcare accessibility a fundamental pillar of national development.
The then Minister of Health, Hamad Al Midfa, noted that Sheikh Zayed’s personal appearance at the inauguration symbolized his profound concern for citizen welfare across all emirates. The founding father received an enthusiastic reception from local residents before conducting an extensive inspection tour of the medical complex, expressing particular satisfaction with the facility’s operational standards and service quality.
This historic initiative established a precedent for healthcare development in underserved regions, reflecting Sheikh Zayed’s hands-on leadership approach and people-centric governance philosophy that continues to influence UAE public health policy four decades later.