Dubai: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced the death of first Emirati nurse Hussein Qayed today.

Sheikh Mohammed took to his twitter account to pay his tributes to the pioneering Emirati nurse.

“Today, Hussein Qayed, the first Emirati nurse, passed away. He was among the Emirati pioneers in his field. May Allah bless him with his mercy and rest his soul in peace. He will never be forgotten by his country,” Sheikh Mohammed tweeted.

In recognition of his outstanding contributions, Qayed was awarded the Hamdan Award for Honouring Individuals Working in the field of Medicine and Health in 2017-2018.

Born in Dubai, Qayed contributed to the nursing field since he joined Al Maktoum Hospital in Dubai in 1952, less than one year after the hospital was inaugurated, to provide medical care to community members.

Qayed received his professional training from specialised practitioners such as Dr Mohammed Yassin, when he was only 16 years old, at a small clinic. Initially, Qayed was trained on how to dress and treat wounds and how to vaccinate children. He additionally gained experience through field visits to families and patients across Dubai. Qayed was among the few who used to work round the clock to serve patients.

In 1971, he relocated to work in Rashid Hospital as an interpreter and an assistant to the nursing team after nursing became recognised as a professional specialisation. His career focused on patients’ affairs, including following up on their appointments with physicians. He participated in the training of many of his fellow colleagues on how to deal with patient affairs.