Moopen wins lifetime honour at Indian health care awards
Accolade in recognition of Aster MD’s contributions to health care over three decades
Dr. Azad Moopen, founder chairman and managing director of Aster DM Healthcare in the UAE, has been honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 10th edition of The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce (Ficci) Healthcare Excellence Awards.
The accolade was granted on Thursday night in New Delhi, in recognition of Dr. Moopen’s valuable contribution to and efforts in the field of health care.
Accepting the award Dr. Moopen paid tribute to Aster DM Healthcare’s 17,000 staff, for their efforts in providing “compassionate care to millions of patients” and hard work to keep pushing the boundaries of health care excellence.
Under his leadership in the last 31 years, Aster DM Healthcare has become one of the few entities across the globe providing the complete circle of care from primary, secondary, tertiary to quaternary medical care. Starting with a single doctor clinic in Dubai in 1987, when health care was still in its primitive stages in the region, Dr. Moopen has played a significant role in shaping the health care industry in the UAE and GCC. Today, Aster DM Healthcare has grown into an integrated health care conglomerate of over 300 establishments including hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and diagnostic ■ centres nine countries.
“Our journey over the last 30 years has been driven by our vision to provide quality health care at affordable costs to the doorsteps of the people we serve. Pushing boundaries to achieve our mission has seen us set benchmarks in health care excellence. I would like to thank FICCI for this honour, and this serves as further motivation to continue making a positive difference in the lives of the people that we serve everyday,” Dr. Moopen said.
A dedicated philanthropist, Dr. Moopen has embarked on numerous social initiatives through the Aster DM Foundation and the Dr. Moopen Family Foundation. He believes that profit is a by-product and not a spread across purpose in health care, and his initiatives in the fields of health care, education, women and social empowerment provide hope to millions across geographies.
He has earmarked 20 per cent of his personal wealth for philanthropic activities, enabling social change and helping people in need.
In 2011, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri title and the Pravasi Bhartiya Samman in 2010, for his extraordinary contribution to the health care sector. In 2009, he was also conferred the Best Doctor award by the Kerala government.
He has also been recognised as one of the top powerful Indian leaders in the Arab World by Forbes Middle East magazine.