Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum
The Arab World is known for the increased incidence of genetic disorders among the population. A large part of this is attributed to the widespread norm of consanguinity in the region. Other factors include a social trend to have more children until menopause, selective factors favoring inherited disease characters like thalassemia and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, and the lack of public awareness towards the early recognition and prevention of inherited disease. CAGS was originally envisaged by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance and Industry, UAE, to alleviate human suffering from genetic diseases in the Arab World. The Centre was inaugurated on 25 June 2003 by Hamad Abdul Rahman Al Midfaa, the Minister of Health, and Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences, at the Genetic Centre of Al Wasl Hospital. offices of the Centre for Arab Genomic Studies were located within the premises of Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences.