Board of Directors

Regional leaders working together to advance rheumatology, science, and patient care across the Arab world.

Executive Council

Leadership at the heart of ArLAR.

The Executive Council guides ArLAR’s regional direction, scientific priorities, and work across its member societies.

06Regional leaders

Iraq

Nizar AbdulLateef Jasim, MD

President

Professor in Internal Medicine & Rheumatology at University of Baghdad, College of Medicine. Sr. Consultant at Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Medical City. Chairman of the Scientific Council of Internal Medicine & Scientific Committee for Rheumatic Diseases in Iraqi Board for Medical Specializations. Founder and President of the Iraqi League for Bone & Joint Health (ILBJH). President of the Arab League of Associations for Rheumatology (ArLAR). Former President of the Pan Arab Osteoporosis Society (PAOS). Member of the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) Board of Trustees. He has more than 85 researches in the field of Rheumatology, Clinical Immunology, and Osteoporosis.

Kuwait

Fatemah Baroun, MD

Secretary General

Specialist in Adult Rheumatology and Internal Medicine at Jahra Hospital, Kuwait.

United Arab Emirates

Shamma Al Nokhatha, MD

President-Elect

Internal Medicine and Rheumatology Consultant at Tawam Hospital and Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Mohammed Medical City in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. President of the Emirates Society of Rheumatology. Adjunct Assistant Professor at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Algeria

Manal El Rakaawi, MD

Past President

Professor of Rheumatology, Douera Algiers University Hospital Center / Saad Dahlab Blida Unit. Coordinator of the Pain Section, Algerian Society of Rheumatology. Member of the Pan Arab Osteoporosis Society and Algerian Menopause Society. Secretary General of the ArLAR Francophone Group and member of AAAA. ArLAR President-Elect 2023–2025.

Lebanon

Imad Uthman, MD

Chairman of the Scientific Committee

Professor and Head of the Rheumatology Department at the American University of Beirut Medical Center. Member of the ArLAR Scientific Committee representing Lebanon.

Jordan

Basel Masri, MD

Treasurer

Senior Consultant Rheumatologist at Jordan Hospital and Medical Center in Amman. Secretary General of the Jordanian Society of Rheumatology (JSR). Treasurer of ArLAR.

Board Members

One board. Shared purpose.

Board members bring the voices, expertise, and priorities of rheumatology communities from across the Arab region.

15Regional leaders

Algeria

Aicha Ladjouze-Rezig, MD

Professor of Rheumatology. President of the Algerian League Against Rheumatism (LAAR).

Algeria

Hachemi Djoudi, MD

Professor of Rheumatology. President of the Algerian Society for Rheumatology (SAR).

Egypt

Ayman El Garf, MD

Professor Emeritus in the Rheumatology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University. President of the Egyptian Society for Joint Diseases and Arthritis (ESRD). Founding Member of ArLAR.

Jordan

Wafa Madanat, MD

Consultant Rheumatologist. President of the Jordanian Society of Rheumatology (JSR). Chairman of the Scientific Committee from 2004 to 2010. Council Member of the International Society for Behçet’s Disease. Member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of the Royal Medical Services. Reviewer for local and international journals.

Kuwait

Hebah Al-Hajeri, MD

President of the Kuwait Association of Rheumatology (KAR). Consultant in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology at Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital, Kuwait.

Lebanon

Nelly Ziade Zoghbi, MD

President of the Lebanese Society of Rheumatology (LSR). Consultant Rheumatologist. Assistant Professor of Rheumatology, Public Health and Epidemiology at Hotel-Dieu de France Hospital and Saint-Joseph University of Beirut.

Libya

Soad Hashad, MD

Consultant in Pediatrics. Head of the Pediatric Rheumatology Clinic at Tripoli Children’s Hospital. Associate Professor at Tripoli University. National Coordinator of the Pediatric Rheumatology International Trials Organisation (PRINTO) in Libya. Head of the Scientific Committee of the Libyan Rheumatology Society. Research Coordinator at the Libyan Medical Council of Specialty. Coordinator of the Residency Program at the Libyan Medical Council of Specialty.

Morocco

Abdellah El Maghraoui, MD

Professor of Higher Education in Rheumatology. Former Lecturer and Researcher at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Rabat. Lecturer at Mohammed VI University of Health Sciences. Former Head of the Rheumatology Department at Mohammed V Military Teaching Hospital, Rabat, Morocco. President of the Association of Private Rheumatologists of Rabat. President of the Moroccan Society of Rheumatology. Board Member of the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF). Associate Member of the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society (ASAS).

Oman

Humaid Al Wahshi, MD

Senior Consultant Internist, Rheumatologist and Immunologist in Muscat, Oman. President of the Oman Society of Rheumatology (OSR).

Palestine

Riad Eid, MD

Assistant Professor of Medicine and Rheumatology at Al-Quds University. Senior Consultant in Rheumatology and Internal Medicine at Jericho Hospital, Palestinian Ministry of Health. President of the Palestinian Rheumatology Society (PSR).

Qatar

Samar Al Emadi, MD

Senior Consultant and Division Chief of Rheumatology, and Program Director of the Rheumatology Fellowship, Hamad Medical Corporation. President of the Qatar Rheumatology Association and Qatar Osteoporosis Society. Assistant Professor, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar.

Saudi Arabia

Hanan Al-Rayes, MD

Senior Consultant in Rheumatology and Lupus. Rheumatology and lupus fellowship, University of Toronto; Saudi rheumatology fellowship. President of the Saudi Society for Rheumatology 2018–2021. Deputy Director of Medicine, Prince Sultan Military Medical City; Board member, Saudi Osteoporosis Society.

Sudan

Wafa Hassan Al-Bashir, MD

Consultant in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology. President of the Sudanese Society of Rheumatology. Affiliated with Friendship Teaching Hospital and Alia Specialized Hospital.

Syria

Majed Abboud, MD

Professional biography coming soon.

Coming soon

Tunisia

Rawdha Tekaya, MD

President of Tunisian Society.