El Hadi Ahmed El Sheikh FRCOphth ( ar, الهادي أحمد الشيخ; 28 June 1933,

Shendi Shendi or Shandi ( ar, شندي) is a small city in northern Sudan, situated on the southeastern bank of the Nile River 150 km northeast of Khartoum. Shandi is also about 45 km southwest of the ancient city of Meroë. Located in the R ...

– 23 September 2009,

Khartoum Khartoum or Khartum ( ; ar, الخرطوم, Al-Khurṭūm, din, Kaartuɔ̈m) is the capital of Sudan. With a population of 5,274,321, its metropolitan area is the largest in Sudan. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile, flowing n ...

) was a Sudanese Professor of

Ophthalmology Ophthalmology ( ) is a surgical subspecialty within medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders. An ophthalmologist is a physician who undergoes subspecialty training in medical and surgical eye care. Following a medic ...

at the Department of Ophthalmology,

University of Khartoum The University of Khartoum (U of K) ( ar, جامعة الخرطوم) is a public university located in Khartoum, Sudan. It is the largest and oldest university in Sudan. UofK was founded as Gordon Memorial College in 1902 and established in 195 ...

, and

WHO Who or WHO may refer to: * Who (pronoun), an interrogative or relative pronoun * Who?, one of the Five Ws in journalism * World Health Organization Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Who, a creature in the Dr. Seuss book ''Horton Hear ...

's Research Fellow. El Sheikh established Abu-Hamad Town Hospital in 1962 and the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Khartoum in 1994. He was known for philanthropic work and organising eye care campaigns that offered free treatment for Sudanese and refugees.

Life and career

Early life

El Sheikh was born on 28 June 1933 in

, Sudan, the youngest in a family of four sisters and brothers. His family were part of the

Tijaniyyah The Tijāniyyah ( ar, الطريقة التجانية, Al-Ṭarīqah al-Tijāniyyah, The Tijānī Path) is a Sufi tariqa (order, path), originating in the Maghreb but now more widespread in West Africa, particularly in Senegal, The Gambia, ...

Sufi order, a group known for their hospitality and generosity, which would later shape El Sheikh's approach to medicine and treatment accessibility.

Medical career

El Sheikh first enrolled at the

but left as his family believed the school was elitist and did not align with their values, later entering

Ain Shams University Ain Shams University ( ar, جامعة عين شمس) is a public university located in Cairo, Egypt. Founded in 1950, the university provides education at the undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate levels. History Ain Shams University was fou ...

. El Sheikh graduated in 1959, and started his medical training at Ain Shams University in 1960 as a house officer before leaving to join

Atbara Atbara (sometimes Atbarah) ( ar, عطبرة ʿAṭbarah) is a city located in River Nile State in northeastern Sudan. Because of its links to the railway industry, Atbara is also known as the "Railway City'. As of 2007, its population is 11 ...

Teaching Hospital in 1961 as a medical officer until 1962. In 1962, El Sheikh established Abu-Hamad Town Hospital before becoming a registrar for two years at Khartoum Eye Hospital. Later in 1963, he moved to the United Kingdom where he worked at

Moorfields Eye Hospital Moorfields Eye Hospital is a specialist NHS eye hospital in Finsbury in the London Borough of Islington in London, England run by Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Together with the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, which is adjacent ...

and earned a diploma in Ophthalmology from the

Royal College of Physicians of London The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) is a British professional membership body dedicated to improving the practice of medicine, chiefly through the accreditation of physicians by examination. Founded by royal charter from King Henry VIII in 1 ...

in 1964 and the

Royal College of Surgeons of England The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England) is an independent professional body and registered charity that promotes and advances standards of surgical care for patients, and regulates surgery and dentistry in England and Wales. The ...

in 1964. El Sheikh returned to Sudan, working at Khartoum Eye Hospital as Junior Eye Specialist, and at

Wad Madani Wad Madani ( ar, ود مدني, Wad Madanī) or Madani is the capital of the Al Jazirah state in east-central Sudan. "Wad Madani" (population), Microsoft Encarta, Online Encyclopedia 2001. Wad Madani lies on the west bank of the Blue Nile, n ...

Hospital as a relief ophthalmologist, between 1964 and 1965. He then moved to the Department of Surgery, University of Khartoum, as a Lecturer in Ophthalmology in 1967. Later he became an associate professor in 1973. One of El Sheikh’s siblings was El Shafiei, a well-known Sudanese politician who was executed with

Abdel Khaliq Mahjub Abdel Khaliq Mahjub ( ar, عبد الخالق محجوب) (23 September 1927 – 28 July 1971) was a Sudanese communist politician. Mahjub was born in Omdurman. He served as the General Secretary of the Sudanese Communist Party until his death ...

in 1971 by

Jaafar Nimeiry Jaafar Muhammad an-Nimeiry (otherwise spelled in English as Jaafar Nimeiry, Gaafar Nimeiry or Ja'far Muhammad Numayri; ar, جعفر محمد النميري; 26 April 192830 May 2009) was a Sudanese politician who served as the president of Sud ...

for their involvement in the

1971 Sudanese coup d'état The 1971 Sudanese coup d'état was a short-lived communist-backed coup, led by Major Hashem al Atta who is one of the founding members of the free officers organization that carried may 1969 coup , against the government of President Gaafar Nimei ...

attempt. Thus, after his brother's execution, El Sheikh decided to go to the UK, as he was awarded the

World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of h ...

(WHO) Research Fellow at the

UCL Institute of Ophthalmology The UCL Institute of Ophthalmology is an institute within the Faculty of Brain Sciences of University College London, University College London (UCL) and is based in London, United Kingdom. The institute conducts research and post-graduate teach ...

, and an Honorary

Senior Registrar :''This article primarily explains the Senior Registrar doctor grade within the United Kingdom until 1996'' A Senior Registrar was a grade of doctor in the United Kingdom or Ireland before being superseded during reforms in the 1990s. The senior ...

position in the Moorfields Eye Hospital between 1973–1978. During that period, he completed epidemiology and medical statistics training at the

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) is a public research university in Bloomsbury, central London, and a member institution of the University of London that specialises in public health and tropical medicine. The inst ...

(1975–1976). He conducted several fields and laboratory work before obtaining his

Doctor of Philosophy A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common Academic degree, degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields ...

from the

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...

in 1978. Upon his return to Sudan in 1988, El Sheikh joined the University of Khartoum as a professor of Ophthalmology. He later established the Department of Ophthalmology in 1994 and retired in 1998.

Personal life and death

El Sheikh was married and had four children. He died on 23 September 2009 in

Field work

El Sheikh was involved in many projects to improve

eye surgery Eye surgery, also known as ophthalmic or ocular surgery, is surgery performed on the eye or its adnexa, by an ophthalmologist or sometimes, an optometrist. Eye surgery is synonymous with ophthalmology. The eye is a very fragile organ, and requ ...

with a keen interest in

dacryocystorhinostomy Dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) is a surgical procedure to restore the flow of tears into the nose from the lacrimal sac when the nasolacrimal duct does not function. Process Traditional A small incision is made on the side of the nose and some bone ...

and

oculoplastic Oculoplastics, or oculoplastic surgery, includes a wide variety of surgical procedures that deal with the orbit (eye socket), eyelids, tear ducts, and the face. It also deals with the reconstruction of the eye and associated structures. Training ...

. El Sheikh worked on several projects with World Health Organization. He was the WHO expert and a member of the steering committee of

Onchocerciasis Onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness, is a disease caused by infection with the parasitic worm ''Onchocerca volvulus''. Symptoms include severe itching, bumps under the skin, and blindness. It is the second-most common cause of blindne ...

. El Sheikh was the President of the Sudanese Ophthalmological Society (1979–1981), and since 1983, he was a member of the Executive Board of the

International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) is a global alliance of eye health organisations working for the prevention of blindness and vision impairment. IAPB was established in 1975 to work as an umbrella body for global b ...

. El Sheikh was known for philanthropic work. Since 1990, he, with the assistance of

HelpAge International HelpAge International is an international NGO that helps older people claim their rights, challenge discrimination, and overcome poverty, so that they can lead dignified, secure, active and healthy lives. Five organisations from Canada, Colombia ...

, pioneered organising eye care campaigns and creating mobile eye care units that offered free treatment for more than 23,000 Sudanese and refugees. However, his efforts were not always welcomed, and he was taken to court several times for operating on patients outside hospitals.

Awards and honours

El Sheikh is one of the most celebrated Sudanese doctors, holding a multitude of honors and awards. He was elected a Fellow of the

Royal College of Ophthalmologists The Royal College of Ophthalmologists, founded in 1988, is an independent professional body and one of the Medical Royal Colleges. They set the standards and examinations for medical doctors aiming to become ophthalmologists, and provide surgical ...

(FRCOphth) in 1990. In 1995, the National Sudanese Society for Eye Treatment named their annual prize after El Sheikh in honor of his contributions to ophthalmology. The Sudanese government awarded him the Gold Medal for Science, Literature and Arts and

Az-Zubair Prize for Innovation and Scientific Excellence Az-Zubair Prize for Innovation and Scientific Excellence is an annual Sudanese scientific prize awarded by the President of Sudan for scientific innovation and creativity in applied and technological fields. History On November 7, 1998, Preside ...

in 2003.