Meet doctor who saw UAE's transformation

At the age of 85, Indian-origin doctor Dr George Matthew has spent nearly six decades serving the UAE, witnessing its transformation into a modern nation with world-class facilities.

- BY ASHWANI KUMAR Chief Reporter

Since arriving in the late 1960s, he became a cornerstone in the transformation of the UAE's health care. From delivering babies with makeshift facilities to performing emergency procedures under the headlights of a Land Rover, his life is a testament to resilience, dedication and service.

'Where's the runway?'

Originally from Kerala, Dr Matthew later moved to Bahrain. While working there in the 1960s, he heard about the "garden city" of Al Ain. When a job opportunity came calling in, he grabbed it. He landed in Abu Dhabi in 1967 with his newlywed wife.

"We were in a two-propeller plane. My wife looked out [as we were landing] and asked, 'Where's the runway?' There was none — just sand, but we landed safely," he recalled.

Back then, Abu Dhabi's airport was little more than a sandy airstrip with a small building. "A gentleman came over, took my passport, glanced at us, and said: 'Okay, you can go.' That was the immigration check," Dr Matthew said.

Pioneering assignment

His first posting was as Al Ain's first general practitioner.