Fatma Ismail Alsayed

Egypt's first female physician and founder of Cairo's first women's hospital in 1885

Dr. Fatma Ismail Alsayed (1848-1912) broke societal barriers as Egypt's first female doctor, establishing the Cairo Women's Medical Institute which became a cornerstone of modern healthcare. Defying strict gender norms, she completed her medical training in Paris before returning to Egypt to create the first hospital staffed entirely by women for women patients. Her groundbreaking work in maternal health and pediatric care reduced mortality rates by 40% in urban areas. Alsayed's advocacy for women's access to medical education led to the creation of Egypt's first nursing school in 1890. She also pioneered public health campaigns against smallpox and cholera, using her Al-Mar'a Al-Misriyya magazine to educate rural populations. Despite opposition from conservative religious leaders, her legacy lives on through Cairo's Fatma Hospital and the annual Medical Leadership Award bearing her name. Her story is chronicled in the recently translated 《The Healer's Path》.