Hope, joy and new beginnings: Abu Dhabi hospitals welcome babies born in 2026

Burjeel Medical City and Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi welcomed the year 2026 with moments of joy, celebration and newborns coinciding with fireworks displays that lit up the sky at midnight.

At Burjeel Medical City, the new year began with the birth of Emirati baby Saeed Saif Al Rumaithi at exactly 12am to be the first baby born at the hospital in 2026.

Saeed was born to his Emirati parents, Saif Saeed Juma Al Ahbab Al Rumaithi and his wife, weighing 3.302 kg. This newborn is the first child for the family, which made the occasion more special for them.

The parents expressed their great happiness at welcoming their child in the first seconds of the new year. The father chose to name his son after his father as an expression of his love and appreciation, while the mother said that the name embodied the joy associated with the beginning of a new year, which she wished to be full of joy and positivity with his birth.

“We chose the name Saeed because we hope that our child will always be happy and will bring joy to our family in the new year,” the mother said.

Dr Srividya Venugopal, Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist at Burjeel Medical City in Abu Dhabi, congratulated the family on their new baby, expressing her happiness at participating in this exceptional moment.

“Helping a family welcome their newborn at the dawn of a new year is a warm and touching experience. We wish the parents and their little one all the best as they begin this beautiful journey together,” she said.

She explained that the birth of newborns on New Year’s Eve symbolises hope, joy and new beginnings for families across the UAE.

A few minutes later, at 12:01am, another baby was born at Burjeel Hospital Abu Dhabi, weighing 2.470 kg. He was named Hamdan and his parents, Al Hassani and Salma Malala Ali Al Hassani, welcomed him with love and joy along with the hospital staff who celebrated his birth concurrently with the New Year’s celebrations.

“We are happy that our son was born on New Year’s Eve, a special day that represents a new beginning and brings optimism and happiness to people all over the world,” Hamdan’s father said.