Ara Darzi, Baron Darzi of Denham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Darzi of Denham
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Official portrait, 2019
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| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health | |
| In office 29 June 2007 – 21 July 2009 |
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| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | The Lord Hunt of Kings Heath |
| Succeeded by | The Baroness Thornton |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
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| Assumed office 19 July 2007 Life Peerage |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ara Warkes Darzi
7 May 1960 Baghdad, Iraq |
| Political party | None (non-affiliated) |
| Other political affiliations |
Labour (until 2019) |
| Alma mater | Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Trinity College, Dublin |
| Known for |
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| Scientific career | |
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Ara Warkes Darzi, Baron Darzi of Denham, is a famous surgeon, professor, and politician from the United Kingdom. He was born in Iraq to an Armenian family on May 7, 1960.
Lord Darzi is best known for being a pioneer in laparoscopic surgery, also called "keyhole surgery." This type of surgery uses very small cuts, which helps patients heal faster. He also uses robots to help with operations.
As a politician, he has worked to improve the National Health Service (NHS), which is the UK's public healthcare system. He is a member of the House of Lords, one of the two parts of the UK Parliament.
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Early life and education
Lord Darzi was born in Baghdad, Iraq. His parents were Armenian. His family had to leave their original home in what is now Turkey during the Armenian genocide in 1915. They became refugees and settled in Iraq.
He grew up speaking Armenian and attended Baghdad College. When he was 17, his family decided to leave Iraq because of growing conflict in the area. He moved to Ireland to study medicine, while his family moved to London.
He studied at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and later earned a medical degree from Trinity College, Dublin. He trained to become a surgeon in Ireland before moving to the United Kingdom.
Medical career
Pioneering new surgery
In 1990, Darzi moved to the UK to continue his career as a surgeon. He quickly became known for his skills. In 1996, he became a professor at Imperial College London.
His main interest is in minimally invasive surgery. This means performing operations through tiny cuts instead of large ones. He also helped develop the use of robot-assisted surgery, where surgeons use robotic arms to perform very precise movements. These new methods are safer for patients and help them recover more quickly.
Because of his work, he has won many awards. He has also written over 800 scientific papers and several books about surgery and healthcare.
Improving patient care
Lord Darzi believes that patients should have more control over their own health information. He supports giving patients access to their medical records. He thinks this helps them understand their health conditions better and manage their own care.
Political career
Working for the government
In 2007, Lord Darzi was asked to help improve the NHS in London. His report suggested creating special centers for serious medical problems like strokes and heart attacks. This idea was very successful and has been copied in other places.
Later that year, Prime Minister Gordon Brown made him a government minister for health. He was also made a life peer, which gave him the title "Baron Darzi of Denham" and a seat in the House of Lords. The House of Lords helps to check and make laws in the UK.
The NHS Next Stage Review
As a minister, Lord Darzi led a major review of the NHS called the NHS Next Stage Review. His final report, High Quality Care for All, was released in 2008. The report focused on making the quality of care the most important goal for the NHS. Many people praised the report for its ideas on how to make healthcare better for everyone in the country.
He left his role as a minister in 2009 but continued to be involved in healthcare policy. In 2019, he left the Labour Party to become an independent member of the House of Lords. He said he was concerned that the party's leaders were not doing enough to stop unfair treatment of Jewish people.
In 2024, he led another investigation into the NHS. His report found that the health service was in a "critical condition" despite having more money than ever. He said it needed to become more efficient and move more patient care out of hospitals.
Global health and other work
After leaving his government job, Lord Darzi focused more on improving healthcare around the world. He is the chairman of the Institute for Global Health Innovation at Imperial College London. This organization works to solve health problems and reduce unfairness in healthcare in both rich and poor countries.
He has also worked to improve healthcare in Armenia, the country of his ancestors. He has trained doctors there and helped bring modern surgical equipment to its hospitals.
In 2021, he helped create a TV ad for the NHS to encourage people to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The ad featured famous stars Sir Elton John and Sir Michael Caine.
Awards and honors
Lord Darzi has received many awards for his work in medicine and public service.
- In 2002, he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) by the Queen.
- In 2007, he became Baron Darzi of Denham and joined the House of Lords.
- In 2009, he was made a member of the Privy Council, a group of advisors to the monarch.
- In 2013, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, one of the highest honors for a scientist in the UK.
- In 2016, he was appointed to the Order of Merit, a special honor given by the monarch for great achievement.
- In 2023, he was chosen to take part in the coronation of King Charles III.
