YOUR GATEWAY TO A HEALTHIER LIFE
The Emirates Chiropractic Association (ECA) is your gateway to a healthier, more balanced life. Whether you're a chiropractic professional, a patient seeking holistic healthcare solutions, or someone curious about the world of chiropractic, you've come to the right place.
Our association serves as a beacon of knowledge, collaboration, and growth for chiropractors and individuals alike. We're here to connect you with the latest advancements in chiropractic research, patient success stories, and a community of like-minded individuals who share a passion for natural well-being.
History of the Emirates CHiropractic Association (ECA)
The Emirates Chiropractic Association has a fascinating journey that began in 2008 when a handful of chiropractors in the UAE convened in a local cafe, marking the inception of the association. Dr. Travis Mitchell served as the first President. In 2009, the leadership transitioned, with Travis becoming Vice President, while Dr. Charles Jones assumed the Presidency, and Dr. Pamela Leader served as Treasurer.
From 2010 to 2012, changes swept through the association as Travis left the country and Charles wrote the first by-laws and then departed from his role, leaving a leadership vacuum. Stepping up, Dr. Pamela took on the Presidency, with Dr. Vanda Corbett becoming secretary and Dr. Mohamad Raslan became Vice President, marking a significant shift in leadership dynamics.
In 2012, Dr. Raslan took over as President, while Dr. Pamela remained in the treasurer's role, Dr. Niveen El Saleh became Secretary, and Dr. Vanda stepped into her position as Vice President. The Association continued to evolve and fight to retain the "Doctor" title for chiropractors and grow as an Association.
2014 to 2019 saw Dr. Vanda assuming the Presidency. During her time as President, the ECA obtained our legal status under the Dubai Association Chamber of Commerce license. The board met and finally solidified the title of “Dr.” with the DHA in 2017. The NCSC (National Chiropractic Sports Council) was also formed in 2018 with the Dubai Association Chamber, for which Dr. Paul Cheung took over with an affiliation to FICS. At this time Dr. Gerry Nastasia was Vice President, Dr. Sharik Ali was Secretary and Dr. Pam continued as Treasurer.
The years 2019 to 2021 brought expansion into the ECA with its new President Dr. Gerry, accompanied by Dr. Sharik as Vice President, Dr. Nageena Akhtar as Secretary, and Dr. Madeline as Treasurer. Dr. Pamela remained as overseer of the Finance Chair; her steadfast dedication as treasurer and Financial Chair has been essential, considering her willingness to transparently hold the funds in her name for such a long period, since according to local regulations an association cannot be financially independent. Dr Raslan continues as the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East Chiropractic Federation (EMMECF) representative. During this time, Dr. Gerry organized the first website for the ECA and the ECA membership grew considerably and a variety of international clinicians were brought in for continuing education programs for members
Dr. Nageena succeeded Gerry in 2021, with Dr. Tamara Ghazi taking on the position of Vice President and Dr. Madeline Franklin as Secretary. This period saw many challenges with the growing population of the UAE, and many unlicensed individuals posing as chiropractors, to which Dr. Nageena stood up proudly for our profession.
Now, in 2023, Dr. Tamara has risen to the Presidency, leading the Association into its current era.
As the Association's history continues to unfold, it remains open to fresh minds and hands to uphold the best practice standards in the UAE