'Historical Summary of Events in the Persian Gulf Shaikhdoms and the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman, 1928-1953' [‎91r] (186/222)

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{h) Medical and Quarantine
149. [n 1939 the Government of India opened a dispensary at Dubai and
provided the services of an Indian Sub-Assistant Surgeon, the expenditure involved
being shared with His Majesty's Government.
150. In 1941 His Majesty's Government and the Government of India agreed
to contribute jointly a sum of Rs. 5,000/- towards the cost of a hospital leaving a
balance of Rs. 8,000/- to be raised by local subscriptions^ 138 ) Unfortunately no
action was taken at the time but during and after the war a fund was raised for the
hospital from local contributions and from profits on the sale of cereals and the
local commodities. After Her Majesty's Government took over responsibility
for the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. all expenditure on the dispensary was debited to
this fund.
151. In 1949 the services of a British doctor were obtained and paid for from
the fund, His Majesty's Government only contributing £45 a year for attendance
on the Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. staff at Sharjah. A hospital was then built at a cost of about £28,125
and was formally opened by the Ruler in 1951 and called the A1 Maktum Hospital
after his father.( 139 ) Most of the fund was used on the building and equipment of
the hospital and some difficulty has been experienced subsequently in obtaining the
money required for its maintenance and the pay of the British doctor and his staff.
At the end of 1952 the annual expenditure was estimated at Rs. 75,000 towards
which the Ruler of Dubai was contributing Rs. 40,000 and about Rs. 10,000 was
obtained from fees.( li0 ) Regular contributions on a much smaller scale have been
promised by the other Rulers and Her Majesty's Government made a grant of
£2 000 for expenditure on capital equipment in the financial year 1953-54. I he
hospital is managed by a Committee of which the Rulers are members.
152. In 1953 a representative of the Red Cross Society visited the Trucial
Coast and the Society subsequently undertook to equip and despatch a mobile
dispensary to work there for one year, in the hope that it would be possible for a
local branch of the Society to be formed to take it over after that The Pohtica
Resident has reported that there is httle possibility of such an eventuality.t
153 The quarantine service on the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. is administered by the
formalities. Vaccination is earned out amongst the local population on as w oe
a scale as possible.
(0 Nationality Law and Travel Documents
154. The indiscriminate issue of travel The matter
raised the question ot inducing . , States Counc ii an d as none of the
was discussed at the meetings of th ® tions i t was proposed that a simple
Rulers was able to make any concrete s 88 . anc j they should be
nationality law should bf 3 d^wn U P on ^ ^ ^ sub ntly deci d ed
persuaded to enforce it.( ) A law • , Ru!ers until t he boundaries of their
that it was inadvisable to present it question of boundaries the
States had been more clearly defined. Apart trom in q ^ tribesmen and
matter is complicated by the uncertaiiiallegiance number of Persians
the difficulty of deciding in what r e.,aided as having acquired local
residing on the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. should be re = araec
nationality. travel docum ents in 1952 owing
155. The Rulers started " travellers carrying British passports
to the heavy fees recovered by 'j 1 ® t „ ' re on \y recognised on the Arab littoral
or identity certificates. These docu t , . ts ^ Trucial States A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. do not require
of the Gulf and in India and Pakistan^ Sub^ cat ided they hold valid British
visas when visiting Bahrain, Qata , • v j sas if they travel on the Rulers
travel documents. They have to obtain
documents. 1941 (E 66 82/2858/9l of 1941).
('») Tel. from I.O. to G. of ' , J 2 ,, 8 . Qctoter 27,1951 (EA 1798/1 oJ J « 1 )•
/mx pti t 0 f. O. Despatch 129 or Ut - iqs^ fEA 1793/1 of 1953).
f 1401 ) PR toFO 1794/3/53 of Jar iliar y ' 7 1QC3 (gA 1793/23 of 1953).
(»') p: I : lo RO. 1793 /39 /53 of December 7^ 1953^^^ | (9/49) of 1949).
C") P.R. to F.O. Despatch 50 of Xu • 1953 (EA ,015/3 of 1953).
( 143 ) P.R. to F.O. Despatch 45 or May z 2
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