In January, something extraordinary will unfold in Malawi, one of the world’s least developed countries, where knee specialists simply don’t exist, and where thousands live with chronic pain they’ve quietly carried for years. For many Malawians, the idea of walking without discomfort has long felt like a distant dream.

That may finally begin to change.

Dr Azam Badar Khan, better known across Dubai as “Dr Knee”, is returning to Malawi to lead the country’s first-ever knee surgery camp, bringing hope to patients who’ve never had access to this kind of care. And for the surgeon who has been working in Dubai’s top hospitals for more than 20 years, this mission is personal.

“When you meet someone who has lived with pain for 20 years and tells you they’ve simply ‘learned to manage,’ it stays with you,” Dr Knee said. “This camp is about giving them back the ability to move, work, dance, and live.”

A Country Where Knee Pain Is a Life Sentence

Last December, Dr Knee travelled across Blantyre and the capital, Lilongwe, where he examined more than 400 patients in just four days. The cases told the story of a nation battling what he calls a “silent epidemic of mobility loss.”

From severe osteoarthritis to injuries left untreated for decades, nearly every patient had one thing in common: There was nowhere to go for help.

Malawi, home to more than 21 million people, has no dedicated knee surgeon and limited orthopaedic services. Many people rely on makeshift support, living each day with grinding pain.

A Camp That Could Change Everything

In January, that begins to shift. Over six days, Dr Knee and his team will perform advanced procedures, from total knee replacements to corrective surgeries, at LMJ Hospital in Blantyre and LSF Hospital in Lilongwe.

Regional health officials say the impact could be transformational, not just for the patients, but for the country’s entire healthcare system.

Skill-sharing with local doctors, new treatment pathways, training programmes, all of it could plant the seeds for Malawi’s first real orthopaedic network.

Why Dubai Matters

Behind this mission is a city that has quietly become a launchpad for global medical outreach: Dubai.

“Dubai gave us the reach to scale a mission that started with a simple idea, helping people walk pain-free for longer,” Dr Knee said.

With its international connectivity and innovation-driven healthcare sector, the emirate has helped turn Dr Knee’s mobility mission into a cross-border movement spanning Africa, Asia, and soon even more regions.

A Blueprint for a Continent

The Malawi mission is only the beginning. Talks are already underway with health authorities in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Uganda to develop broader mobility care programmes.
Back in the UAE, Dr Knee is also preparing for his first Dubai edition of the “Walk Again with Dr Knee” campaign this February, a project focused on early diagnosis, public awareness, and accessible joint care.

“We’re building a network of mobility care across continents,” he said. 

“Every step we take in one country helps strengthen the next.”

For patients in Malawi, those steps could soon feel lighter, and, for many, pain-free for the first time in their lives.

In a profession where compassion and care often come at the cost of personal well-being, Siddhayu Baidyanath, India’s 108-year-old Ayurvedic and herbal wellness pioneer, turned the spotlight on the healers themselves.

Through an inspiring evening titled “Self-Love – The Siddhayu Way,” the brand celebrated doctors not just as caregivers but as creative individuals, musicians, dancers, poets, and artists, highlighting how self-expression can be a form of healing too.

The event, held in Dubai, brought together leading medical professionals and wellness advocates to explore the deeper connection between self-care, emotional well-being, and Ayurveda’s holistic philosophy.

Honouring the healers

The evening was graced by Dr Sanjay Paithankar, Managing Director and owner of Right Health Group, as the guest of honour, alongside Pranav Sharma, Managing Director of Siddhayu Baidyanath.

“Doctors often devote every moment to caring for others, leaving little time for themselves,” said Dr Paithankar. “An initiative like this beautifully reminds us that nurturing our own happiness and passions is an equally important part of healing.”

A celebration of creativity and compassion

Under the uplifting theme Self-Love – The Siddhayu Way, doctors took centre stage, expressing their hidden talents through music, dance, poetry, and art. The performances served as a reminder that self-care isn’t limited to rest and recovery; it’s also about joy, expression, and rediscovering oneself.

A standout moment of the night was a captivating performance of “Love You Zindagi” by Tarangini, a Dubai-based dance group led by Paromita Bhatia, whose fusion of classical and contemporary styles drew rousing applause.

“Doctors dedicate their lives to healing others. This event is our way of reminding them to pause, celebrate themselves, and embrace self-love, the Siddhayu way,” said Niraj Bhatia, Global Commercial Head, Siddhayu Baidyanath.

A new chapter in wellness innovation

Adding to the evening’s significance, Siddhayu Baidyanath unveiled its latest innovation,  VVS 10 capsules, an advanced Ayurvedic formulation designed to enhance vigour, vitality, and stamina. The launch, led by Pooja Shevtekar, Head of Marketing and Niraj Bhatia, Global Commercial Head, included the premiere of a compelling product film.

With its products registered under the UAE Ministry of Health (MOH) and available at leading pharmacies such as Aster, Siddhayu Baidyanath continues to strengthen its presence in the UAE and across 40 countries worldwide.

Wellness begins with self-love

The evening concluded with a message that resonated beyond the stage, a reminder that doctors, too, deserve the compassion they so freely give. Through Self-Love – The Siddhayu Way, Siddhayu Baidyanath reaffirmed its belief that true wellness begins with caring for oneself — body, mind, and spirit.

In a city celebrated for pushing boundaries, the next frontier in Dubai’s wellness scene isn’t just skin deep; it’s cellular. Ankiti Bose, Founder and CEO of Terra Invest, is spearheading a groundbreaking journey with the launch of Shookra Aesthetics, a regenerative clinic that fuses biotechnology, AI, and beauty science to transform how we age.

Nestled in Dubai’s Business Bay, Shookra Aesthetics aims to redefine beauty as a reflection of vitality rather than mere vanity. The clinic’s innovative approach goes beyond traditional cosmetic treatments by focusing on cellular renewal and longevity. Using cutting-edge DNA sequencing, blood biomarker analysis, and advanced AI skin diagnostics, Shookra crafts personalised health and beauty protocols tailored to each client’s unique biology.

“Shookra is where beauty meets biohacking, a space where we harness AI to transform aesthetics into measurable biology, ” explained Bose.

By analysing over 200 data points in a single facial scan, Shookra’s proprietary system links visible skin health to vital biomarkers like inflammation and hormonal balance.

Clients benefit from bespoke treatment plans combining exosome facials, peptide therapy, and IV infusions that address cellular ageing head-on. This AI-driven model continuously tracks progress, adapting treatments to optimise long-term results.

Terra Invest is also building a “house of brands” around human optimisation, with future launches in digital diagnostics, AI-powered supplements, and performance labs, all interconnected through a shared data ecosystem named Superhuman. 

“Just like data transformed finance two decades ago, it is now revolutionising health,” Bose says. “Once you quantify ageing, you can manage it.”

Dubai’s prominence as a global medical tourism hub, combined with its national AI healthcare initiatives, makes it an ideal launchpad for this longevity revolution. Following its successful debut in Business Bay, Shookra plans expansion to Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Singapore, and London.

In a city defined by reinvention, Bose sees human biology as the next great breakthrough. “It’s about restoring dignity to ageing and prolonging vitality,” she says. 

“Imagine living your last two decades as strong as your first five.”