'Florence Nightingale of the UAE' is dead at 80

'Florence Nightingale of the UAE' is dead at 80

The country’s first Emirati female nurse, dubbed 'Florence of UAE'  has died of illness associated of old age. She was nearly 80.

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Salima Salim Al Sharhan died at a private hospital on Monday night and will be buried at her home town of Ras Al Khaimah on Tuesday, the semi official daily Al Ittihad said.

Born in early 1930s, Salima was the first Emirati woman to become a nurse in early 1950s and had won many prizes for humanitarian and social work.

She was named in UAE hospitals and related institutions as 'Florence of UAE', after Florence Nightingale, a celebrated British social reformer and founder of modern nursing during 1820-1910.

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