Lord Darzi receives Qatari honour

Professor the Lord Ara Darzi has been awarded the highest honour available in Qatar to foreign nationals.

On 16 January, His Highness the Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani  conferred upon Lord Darzi the Sash of Independence in recognition of his continuing contribution to developing the health sector in Qatar. 

The Sash of Independence is awarded only to senior members of government, to Qatari citizens for outstanding service to the country and to foreigners for exceptional services to the country.

On receiving the award, Lord Darzi said: "I am honoured and privileged to receive the Sash of Independence and thank His Highness and the Qatari nation for such a recognition”. 

Lord Darzi has been working in Qatar with Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, His Excellency the Minister of Public Health Abdullah bin Khalid Al-Qahtani, and fellow healthcare professionals since 2010.  

He is a member of the Supreme Council for Health board, an International Advisory Board for the Academic Health System in Qatar. He has been integral to the development and ongoing implementation of Qatar’s national health strategy, leading on the development of the National Cancer Strategy and Qatar's National Primary Healthcare Strategy 2013-2018.

Working with the Qatar Foundation, Lord Darzi has hosted annual summits for the most important figures in healthcare. In 2012, he hosted the Global Health Policy Summit in London and was the Executive Chairman of the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), held in Doha, Qatar in December last year. This high-profile event aimed to promote and facilitate innovation in the delivery of healthcare around the globe. It was attended by over 1000 representatives of governments, business leaders, academics, clinicians, new media pioneers and the third sector to help unravel some of the most pressing global health challenges facing us today.  Keynote speakers included Aung Sang Suu Kyi and Simon Stevens, the next CEO of the NHS.

“As a clinician, I have dedicated my professional life to the pursuit of high quality care,” said Lord Darzi. “It is a privilege to be working with talented colleagues in Qatar who share that driving motivation to provide the best possible care to their patients."