UAE doctor helps build policy mandating car seats for newborns after hospital discharge

Khaleej Times

5 days ago

When Dr Taisser Atrak received the Abu Dhabi Award in 2011 from UAE President, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, it marked more than just recognition. Today, the pediatrician and child safety advocate is helping develop a policy that could make it mandatory for all newborns in the UAE to be placed in car seats before being discharged from the hospital, a practice that has been standard in the US for decades.
'In America, hospitals can't discharge a newborn unless the baby is safely restrained in a car seat. I want to see that here. It's a child's first ride home, it should also be the safest,' he told Khaleej Times during the exclusive media briefing marking the 20th anniversary of the Abu Dhabi Awards.
This isn't the first initiative Dr Atrak has worked on, but it's one of the most ambitious. 'Once I received the award, government entities started reaching out. It gave my work visibility and credibility,' he said.
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Originally trained in the US, Dr Atrak moved to Abu Dhabi in 2008 and has spent the past 15 years voluntarily leading awareness campaigns on child safety, including first aid training for parents, nannies, and bus drivers. But after the award, his reach expanded, including invitations to collaborate with the Department of Health and the Ministry of Interior.
He explained that hospitals and caregivers in the UAE are largely supportive once they understand the risks. 'We presented the data and shared real cases. One child's family told us they still regret not using a restraint system (child car seat). These are preventable deaths.'
Dr Atrak began his work by personally funding materials and training sessions. 'As a doctor, I was seeing children die from injuries that could have been avoided. I couldn't stay silent. I had to do something, even outside my clinic hours.'
One of his early successes was pushing for CPR training for parents before hospital discharge. 'At first, I was told parents wouldn't be interested. A year later, they were asking for it. And in several cases, those skills saved lives.'
The results have been tangible. 'We worked as a team, hospitals, government, individuals, and the data showed a clear drop in injuries and deaths after our campaigns,' he said.
At the same event, Khaleej Times also met Zaafarana Ahmed Khamis, a long-time volunteer and mother of eleven, including two daughters who are Special Olympics champions.
Nicknamed the 'mother of People of Determination', Zaafarana has been volunteering with the Abu Dhabi Sports Club since 2007. She began by escorting girls of determination to training sessions when she noticed they were often left to arrive alone or without proper supervision.
'I told the director, 'Let me help'. They gave me a minibus. I would drive across Abu Dhabi, picking up girls from different areas and dropping them at sports centres. Then I'd take them back home, sometimes until 10pm,' she said.
Zaafarana, who received the Abu Dhabi Award in 2021, said the honour came as a complete surprise. 'I didn't even know I was nominated. When they told me I was receiving it from Sheikh Mohamed himself, I was overwhelmed. I cried from happiness.'
She said the award changed her life. 'It gave me energy to continue. I always loved them, my daughters and the others. I see them all the same. But this award reminded me that the work matters.'
The Abu Dhabi Awards launched its 12th edition on July 22, 2025, under the patronage of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. This year's milestone edition coincides with the UAE's 'Year of Community' and celebrates two decades of recognising selfless individuals whose efforts have quietly shaped the nation.
Since its inception in 2005, the award has honoured 100 recipients from 18 nationalities, whose work spans healthcare, education, sustainability, heritage preservation and advocacy for People of Determination.
'One nomination can spark a legacy of giving,' said Mahra Al Shamsi, member of the organising committee. 'These individuals remind us that even the smallest acts can make a lasting difference.'
Nominations remain open year-round via the Abu Dhabi Awards website. The 12th edition also introduces a mobile outreach campaign, 'Goodness in Motion', bringing the award's mission directly to communities across the country.