Musa Mohd. Nordin
FIMA President 2005-2007

The vision of our leaders is awesome and most inspiring. On 31st Dec. 1981, in Orlando, Florida, 10 representatives from Canada, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Nigeria, USA, Pakistan, South Africa, Sudan and the UK & Eire met and founded FIMA.

Dr. El-Awad (Sudan) chaired the 1st FIMA Council assisted by Drs. El-Kadi (USA), Akhtar (Pak) and Hoosen (SA).

Among others her aims and objectives included :

1. Promoting the understanding & application of Islamic principles in medicine
2. Promoting Islamic medical services, education and research
3. Fostering unity and welfare of Muslim medical professionals and IMAs
4. Mobilising resources for humanitarian relief activities

Since 1981, 22 FIMA Council meetings have been held. The 23rd will be hosted by Indonesia, in Yogyakarta from 19-20 July 2006.

Currently, there are 23 full members, 3 associate members and 15 with observer status. This represents just under 50,000 Muslim medical and health professionals

Milestones in her brief history includes :

• 1981 - secretariat in USA; Jordan (1987); Malaysia (1992); Jordan (1997); Pakistan (2001-2007).
• 1983 - organisational agenda
• 1991 - medical jurisprudence seminar (Amman)
• 1994 - meeting of Islamic Relief NGOs (Paris)
• 1996 - FIMA Year Book launched (Jakarta)
• 1999 - FIMA HQ established (Chicago)
• 2000 - Consortium of Islamic Medical Colleges (Islamabad)
• 2001 - FIMA International Student Camp (Abha)
• 2001 - 1st FIMA International Scientific Convention (Sarajevo). More projects launched
• 2001 - 1st International Muslim Leaders Consultation on HIV/AIDS (Kampala)
• 2003 - FIMA Lifetime Achievement Award (Jo'burg)
• 2005 - Approved as Special Consultative Status to the United Nations ECOSOC

We have inherited a FIMA which is well entrenched in her mission and values. And these philosophical ideals have been translated into practical forms to emphasise our seriousness in institution building. The projects thus far have incorporated :

1. Medical teaching (Consortium of Islamic Medical Colleges-CIMCO)
2. Hospital services (Islamic Hospital Consortium-IHC)
3. Continuing Professional Education (Accreditation Council for Certification of Continuing Medical Education-ACCCME)
4. Student activities (Umrah & Ziarah, Winter and Summer Camps)
5. Information & communication technology savvy ( FIMA Hi-Tech Centre)
6. Publications (FIMA Year Book and FIMA Vision)
7. Humanitarian relief (multiple relief missions world wide and partnership in Islamic Council for Da’wa & Relief)
8. Research studies (FIMA Health Policy Initiative)
9. International networking (close liaison with UN, WHO, OIC; Islamic Organisation of Medical Sciences IOMS and others)

Our predecessors have displayed an "izzah" (sense of mission with confidence) which is difficult to emulate. But I believe with total iltizam (commitment) from all our IMAs, we are ready to face the challenges ahead. It is our shared and cherished goal to regain the leadership of the ummah in the medical sciences