Recognition by WHO and UNICEF reflects the hospital’s commitment to safe, compassionate, and family-centered healthcare across Dubai and the UAE

Dubai , UAE,  May 13, 2026

Fakeeh University Hospital has earned Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) accreditation, officially recognized by the UAE Ministry of Health, Public Health and prevention department on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

one of the world’s most respected standards in maternal and newborn healthcare. The accreditation reflects the hospital’s commitment to delivering safe, high-quality, and family-centered maternity services, while fostering a supportive breastfeeding environment and advancing maternal and child wellbeing through specialized healthcare programs, education, and continuous patient support.

Widely regarded as one of the leading global benchmarks in maternity and neonatal care, the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative recognizes healthcare institutions that demonstrate excellence in breastfeeding support, newborn nutrition, maternal wellbeing, patient education, and family-centered care through internationally approved clinical protocols, continuous staff training, and rigorous quality assessments.

The accreditation follows the implementation of internationally recognized practices under the “Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding” framework developed by WHO and UNICEF, aimed at protecting, promoting, and supporting breastfeeding while empowering mothers through education, guidance, and continuous care throughout their maternity journey.

The achievement reflects extensive collaboration across multiple departments within Fakeeh University Hospital, with physicians, Nursing and midwifery teams, lactation consultants and clinical support services, and operational staff working together to ensure every mother and newborn receives safe, personalized, and compassionate care from the very beginning of their healthcare journey.

As part of its patient-centered maternity approach, Fakeeh University Hospital promotes early skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth, helping strengthening the health of the baby and the mother-baby bonding.

Commenting on the milestone, Dr. Mohaymen Abdelghany, Group CEO of Fakeeh Health and CEO of Fakeeh University Hospital, said:

“Receiving this accreditation is a meaningful milestone for Fakeeh University Hospital because it reflects the standard of care we strive to deliver to every mother, every newborn, and every family who places their trust in us.

“At Fakeeh Health, we believe that exceptional maternity care goes beyond medical excellence. It is about creating a safe, supportive, and compassionate environment where mothers feel reassured, respected, and genuinely cared for throughout one of the most important journeys of their lives.

“This achievement is the result of the dedication and collaboration of our physicians, nurses, midwives and multidisciplinary teams who work every day to uphold the highest international standards while always keeping patient care at the center of everything we do.”

The hospital’s support for mothers extends beyond delivery through ongoing education, lactation guidance, and postnatal care designed to help families navigate the early stages of parenthood with confidence and reassurance.

The accreditation further strengthens Fakeeh University Hospital’s position as a leading institution in patient-centered maternity and neonatal healthcare, reflecting not only clinical excellence, but also a deeper organizational commitment to delivering healthcare built on trust, empathy, safety, and international best practices.

Fakeeh University Hospital continues to advance its maternity and neonatal programs through multidisciplinary expertise, advanced medical technologies, and family-centered healthcare initiatives designed to improve long-term outcomes for mothers, newborns, and families across the UAE.

About Fakeeh University Hospital
Fakeeh University Hospital is an academic, tertiary-care hospital in Dubai, committed to delivering advanced, patient-centred healthcare supported by education, research, and innovation. The hospital offers a comprehensive range of specialised medical services and plays a leading role in introducing cutting-edge treatments and technologies to the region.
For more information, visit: https://www.fakeeh.health/

You can share an article by clicking on the share icons at the top right of it.
The total or partial reproduction of an article, without the prior written authorization of Le Monde, is strictly forbidden.

The cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak headed to the Netherlands on Tuesday, May 12, after its last passengers disembarked in Spain’s Canary Islands, with at least seven of the evacuees testing positive for the virus. Three people died after the rare virus that usually spreads among rodents was detected on board the MV Hondius, sparking a global health scare. Among living patients, seven cases have been confirmed and an eighth is listed as “probable,” according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

French officials said one woman who tested positive was hospitalized and in stable condition in intensive care. No vaccines or specific treatments exist for the virus, but health officials have said the risk to the public is low and dismissed comparisons to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Dutch-flagged ship was expected to arrive in Rotterdam on Sunday evening, according to its operator, where it will undergo disinfection procedures. More than 25 crew members and medical staff were still on board the ship, which is carrying the body of a German passenger who died during the voyage, but all passengers have now disembarked.

“Mission accomplished,” exulted Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia Gomez, on the quay of the port of Granadilla de Abona, in Tenerife. “Between yesterday and today, we have evacuated the 125 passengers and crew members from 23 countries, who have either already returned home or are in the process of being repatriated. The ship, as you can see, has just weighed anchor. It left the port today at 7 pm,” she said.

You can share an article by clicking on the share icons at the top right of it.
The total or partial reproduction of an article, without the prior written authorization of Le Monde, is strictly forbidden.

The final cohort of 28 evacuees traveled on chartered buses to Tenerife South Airport and boarded two flights that landed in the Netherlands early on Tuesday. One plane carried mostly crew members – 17 Filipinos, a Dutch national and a German – as well as a British doctor and two epidemiologists. A second flight transported six other passengers – four Australians, a New Zealander and a Briton living in Australia – who would stay in a quarantine facility near the airport before being repatriated.

Wearing white medical overalls and fface masks, the evacuees disembarked from the air ambulance clutching white bags of their belongings and walked into Eindhoven airport’s terminal. Spanish authorities said the cruise ship, which was originally only authorized to anchor offshore for the evacuation on health and safety grounds, had docked in port because of unfavorable weather.

At a press conference at the port, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who is due to meet the Spanish prime minister in Madrid on Tuesday, sought to reassure the passengers. He said they were in good hands now and that the situation could have become difficult if they stayed on the ship but added that this “is not another Covid.”

Search for contacts

Among the completed repatriations, a French woman – one of five evacuees from France placed in isolation in Paris – started to feel unwell on Sunday night, and “tests came back positive,” Health Minister Stéphanie Rist said.

A Spanish passenger has also tested positive, the health ministry in Madrid said, adding that results for the 13 other Spanish evacuees were so far negative. Spain’s health ministry defended the rigour of the evacuations, where medical teams escorted passengers from the ship to an airport on Tenerife under close supervision and following health checks.

“From the start, all the measures adopted have aimed at cutting the possible chains of transmission… all measures for prevention and control of transmission have been applied,” it said in a statement. In total, seven cases have been confirmed among living passengers, health officials have said.

Other suspected cases and potential close contacts with infected people are being investigated, with health authorities in several countries tracking passengers who had already disembarked from the ship, plus anyone who may have come into contact with them.

In a video shared on Monday by operator Oceanwide Expeditions, captain Jan Dobrogowski paid tribute to the “unity and quiet strength” of everyone on board and highlighted the “courage and selfless resolve” of the crew.

The MV Hondius left Argentina, where hantavirus is endemic, on April 1 for a cruise across the Atlantic Ocean to Cape Verde. The WHO believes the first infection occurred before the start of the voyage, followed by transmission between humans on board the vessel. But Argentine health officials have questioned whether the outbreak originated in the southern city of Ushuaia, based on the virus’s weeks-long incubation period and other factors.

Le Monde

The bottom line

Acrylamide is a chemical that can be created by cooking processes including baking, air frying, and toasting. Acrylamide is considered a probable human carcinogen based on the results of studies in laboratory animals. However, there is no conclusive evidence linking dietary acrylamide consumption to cancer in humans.

How does air frying work?

Air fryers work by creating a fine mist of oil droplets that circulate around food in the presence of hot air. This form of cooking uses less oil and is more environmentally friendly than conventional frying methods. Because air frying uses less oil than traditional frying, it creates foods that are lower in fat than deep-fried foods. However, because heat transfer is less efficient through air than through oil, the process of air frying takes at least twice as long as traditional frying.

Is air frying healthy?

Air frying is often considered to be a healthier alternative to traditional frying. In one study, deep-fried French fries retained 10 times more oil than air-fried French fries cooked for the same amount of time. Air-fried foods also have a lower fat and calorie content than traditional fried foods.

Do air fryers cause cancer?

Air-frying equipment is not known to cause cancer, but the process of air frying does result in the formation of certain compounds, like acrylamide, that are linked to cancer development. Acrylamide is classified as a probable human carcinogen. Acrylamide is formed when foods are heated to temperatures above 120 degrees Celsius (120°C) or 250 degrees Fahrenheit (250°F). During the heating process, a series of chemical reactions (called the “Maillard reaction”) involving sugars and amino acids contained in food results in the formation of acrylamide. Foods that are high in carbohydrates, such as potato chips, French fries, and baked goods contain the highest levels of acrylamide, but fish, meat, and vegetables produce smaller amounts of acrylamide when cooked.

What is acrylamide?

Acrylamide is an industrial chemical used in the manufacturing of plastics, glues, and paper. It is also used in construction grout and as a thickening agent in cosmetic products. It is a component of cigarette smoke. Acrylamide is a neurotoxin that can cause difficulty walking, muscle weakness, and decreased sensation in the hands and feet after low-level workplace exposure. Acrylamide can also interact with DNA, RNA, and cellular processes, and causes cancer in laboratory animals. However, to date there is no conclusive evidence that acrylamide causes cancer in humans.

How much acrylamide is safe?

In occupational settings, short-term exposure to acrylamide is associated with numbness in the hands and feet, skin rashes and peeling, and leg weakness. Workers who have chronic work-related contact with acrylamide can develop difficulty walking or other neurological signs and symptoms. The safety of dietary acrylamide consumption in humans has also been evaluated, but a clear relationship between dietary acrylamide intake and cancer has not been established. The safe amount of dietary acrylamide is unknown.

Is acrylamide in food?

Acrylamide’s presence in food products was initially identified in 2002. Since then, acrylamide has been detected in various types of baked, fried, roasted, and toasted foods including bread, crackers, chocolate-containing products, and canned olives. Acrylamide formation is responsible for the toasted appearance, crusty consistency, and flavor of cooked foods. Burnt or darkly crusted foods contain greater amounts of acrylamide than lighter foods. While acrylamide consumption varies based on dietary habits, the average human consumes 0.4 micrograms of acrylamide per kilogram of body weight each day.

Is acrylamide in coffee?

Coffee beans are roasted to temperatures ranging from 220° to 250°C (428° to 482°F), and the roasting process generates acrylamide at these temperatures. There are several factors that affect the amount of acrylamide that is present in coffee beans, including coffee species (Arabica coffee generally has a lower acrylamide content than Robusta coffee), the roasting process (oddly, shorter and lighter roasts result in higher acrylamide levels), and storage time (acrylamide content decreases with longer storage times). Decaffeination does not affect the acrylamide content of coffee.

What should I do if I get sick after drinking coffee or eating air fried food?

If you develop symptoms of food poisoning or have questions about the safety of food products, use the webPOISONCONTROL^® online tool to get help

National capital poison center