The Annual BJVR Memorial Lecture

Wits Faculty of Health Sciences - School of Clinical Medicine: Department of Psychiatry presents the Annual BJVR Memorial Lecture

Topic: Health care workers, Spiritual and Physical healers of the Nation
Speaker: Imtiaz Sooliman - Founder of the Gift of the Givers

Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman commenced private practice in Pietermaritzburg in 1986 but chose to close his flourishing practice in mid-1994, choosing instead to focus his attention on Gift of the Givers Foundation, which he founded in early August 1992. His establishment of Gift of the Givers Foundation was the consequence of a message he received from his spiritual leader in Istanbul, Turkey, who called on him to serve all people of all races, of all religions, of all colours, of all classes, of all political affiliations and of any geographical location... a calling he honoured then and continues to honour today.

His endeavor in this regard has seen Gift of the Givers Foundation emerge as one of the most respected humanitarian organisations in the world and is today the largest disaster response agency of African origin anywhere on the continent.
Since 1992, Dr. Sooliman has steered the organisation to many Notable Achievements and World Firsts, including: Coming to the assistance of millions of poole in no fewer than 46 countries across the globe. inclusive of South Africa: Designed and developed, in 1993, the world's first and only containerised mobile hospital of its kind, which has been compared by CNN to any of the best hospitals in Europe; Designing the world's first containerised primary health-care unit in 1994; Heading the first organisation in the history of South Africa to have received R60 million in 2003 from Government for the design and successful roll-out of 204 000 food parcels in KZN and E.C during hunger crisis; assisting 210 hospitals during Covid-19, including the delivery of 3500 oxygen
machines. He has received 10 Honorary Doctorates.

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