Dubai eGovernment (DEG) has signed an agreement with “UAE Free of Thalassemia” through Future Leaders Group (part of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Programme for Leadership Development), to sponsor a fund-raising activity that seeks to step up the fight against Thalassemia, in line with the UAE federal government’s vision to make the country free from the disease by 2012.
“UAE Free of Thalassemia” will use Dubai eGovernment’s Payment Gateway service through their portal www.dubai.ae to collect donations from online users. A page will be developed on the portal where donors can easily make online payments. Donations through the portal will have a minimum amount of AED 10 with an open limit, and all donations will enter a raffle draw.
Dubai eGovernment will send SMS messages to around 70,000 people in their database, requesting them to log on to the portal www.dubai.ae and make donations online using credit cards or the e-Dirham card. In addition, all government department websites in Dubai will have a link that directs users to the donation page.
The funds raised from the project will be dedicated to Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Award for Medical Research, Thalassemia research, Thalassemia education, and providing of necessary medical equipment for patients suffering from Thalassemia.
“Dubai eGovernment has always been characterized by its ability to combine professional objectives with social development goals. By supporting this fundraising activity, we get to promote eServices among the public and at the same time contribute to a worthy cause,” said Salem Al Shair, eServices Director, Dubai eGovernment. “We find it fulfilling to be given an opportunity to join in the fight against the disease and support the UAE government’s campaign to eradicate Thalassemia in the country by 2012. We are confident that a large number of people will use the Dubai eGovernment portal to make significant donations. We have eliminated all paperwork, and the public can now make online donations in no time through our secure and user-friendly portal.”
Dr. Maryam Mattar, Head of Research and Community Projects, DOHMS (Department of Health & Medical Services), said, “We are glad that Dubai eGovernment has extended support to the campaign to make the UAE free of Thalassemia. Thalassemia is one of the most pressing public health issues facing children today. Apart from the fact that the disease could put the patient in considerable misery and prove fatal, Thalassemia involves significant treatment costs. Through this project, we seek not only to raise funds to fight the disease, but also to create awareness about Thalassemia as a preventable genetic disorder, among different sections of society, particularly among students.”
Tariq Al Gurg, the project leader of “Future Leaders” group, said, “We are proud to be actively involved in this Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme through the Mohammed Bin Rashid Programme for Leadership Development. We chose “UAE Free of Thalassemia” as the beneficiary for the CSR project as we were keen to be part of a group of people dedicated to eradicate Thalassemia in the country.”
Mahmood Al Bastaki, member of the “Future Leaders” group, said, “We are hoping that the public will enthusiastically respond to our campaign to fight Thalassemia. In collaboration with Dubai eGovernment, we seek to instill the notion of corporate social responsibility in the minds of the new generation so that they grow to become an integral part of our society.”
A raffle draw will be held on April 27, 2006 at the Burjuman Shopping Mall in Dubai. Each AED 10 donation through Dubai eGovernment portal will entitle donors to an automatic entry into the raffle draw; the more the donations, the higher the chances to win prizes. Donations are eligible for entry to the raffle draw only until April 24, 2006, and all donations thereafter will be accepted without the entitlement of entry to the draw. The prizes consist of a Nissan Pathfinder, holiday packages to the Maldives, and packages from Dubai Marine Beach Resort & Spa.
Thalassemia is a hereditary disorder characterized by defective production of hemoglobin, leading to low production and over-destruction of red blood cells. The clinical severity of Thalassemia varies greatly depending on the exact nature of the genes that a person inherits.
Dubai eGovernment is a pioneering initiative in the region to provide online services across the spectrum of corporate and community life in the emirate. It also has a vision to integrateindividually automated government departments under the single umbrella of the eGovernment initiative, thus empowering employees across lines of businesses and levels of government, besides facilitating the lives of citizens and customers of the government. Dubai has taken a lead in the region in deploying eGovernment applications and is among the first few governments in the world to provide such integrated services to its citizens. The eGovernment portal (www.dubai.ae) is a single contact point masking the complexity of the bureaucratic procedures, and guiding access to all services in the easiest possible way. In addition, the eGovernment initiative seeks to improve and enhance procedures by maximizing the benefit from technology, so that users from all walks of life will be able to utilize the portal for their specific needs with considerable ease.
