119-year-old Brazilian woman could become the world's oldest living person
Rio de Janeiro: A 119-year-old woman from Brazil, Deolira Glicéria Pedro da Silva, is on the brink of making history as the world’s oldest living person. According to Guinness World Records, she is preparing to celebrate her 120th birthday in just two months.
Currently, 116-year-old Inah Canabarro Lucas, also from Brazil, holds the official title of the world's oldest living woman. However, Deolira's family and doctors are confident that she will soon take over the title.
"Her name isn’t in the record books yet, but based on the documents we have, she is the oldest living person in the world," said Deolira’s granddaughter, Dorothea Ferreira da Silva, who is 60 years old – half the age of her grandmother.
Records show that Pedro da Silva was born on 10 March 1905, in the village of Porcincol, Rio de Janeiro. She now resides in a vibrant, decorated home in Itaperuna, where she is cared for by her granddaughters, Dorothea and Lydia Ferreira da Silva, aged 60 and 64 respectively.
With the average life expectancy in Brazil being 76.4 years, Deolira’s longevity has sparked curiosity among researchers and medical experts. Her remarkable health at 119, with no ongoing treatments, was confirmed by her doctor, Juver de Abreu Pereira, who noted her stable condition.
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Thumbay Group begins work on Sharjah’s first private integrated psychiatric, rehabilitation hospital
Sharjah: Thumbay Group has laid the foundation stone for the Thumbay Psychiatric and Rehabilitation Hospital at Sharjah Healthcare City, a 120-bed facility that the company says will be the region’s first private, fully integrated hospital dedicated to psychiatric care, neuro-rehabilitation and addiction recovery.
The groundbreaking ceremony was led by Dr. Abdelaziz Saeed Al Mheiri, who is also a member of the Sharjah Executive Council, in the presence of Dr. Thumbay Moideen.
Spread across 110,000 square feet, the hospital is being developed to address growing demand for specialised mental health and rehabilitation services in the UAE and the wider Gulf region.
The facility will include inpatient and outpatient services in psychiatry, neuro-rehabilitation, addiction treatment, child and adolescent mental health, and care for mood and anxiety disorders. It will also feature VIP inpatient villas designed to provide privacy and support long-term recovery.
A mosque, named the Thumbay Masjid, will be constructed within the campus and will be open to the public.
The hospital is being designed to meet standards for Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), an internationally recognised accreditation system for rehabilitation facilities.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Abdelaziz Saeed Al Mheiri said the project reflects Sharjah’s commitment to strengthening healthcare infrastructure in all aspects of wellbeing.
“Mental health and rehabilitation have long needed dedicated infrastructure, and we are proud to support a private partner whose vision matches the ambition of this Emirate,” he said.
Dr. Thumbay Moideen said the project was a response to a growing need for specialised mental healthcare services in the region.
“We have spent over three decades building healthcare in this region, and the one conversation that has grown louder every year is mental health. Families have been carrying this quietly for too long. This hospital is our answer. It is purpose-built, not retrofitted, and it has been designed around dignity, recovery, and outcomes that families can trust,” he said.
Construction is scheduled to begin in June 2026, and the hospital is expected to become operational by mid-2027.
Once completed, the facility will become part of Thumbay Group’s network of healthcare, education and diagnostic institutions across the UAE.
