The UAE Ministry of Health in cooperation with the executive board of the Health Ministers’ Council for GCC States and its strategic partners will co- host the MENA Diabetes Leadership Forum on 12-13 December 2010 at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dubai.
Dr. Hanif Hassan, UAE Minister of Health, stated that the conference comes in implementation of the federal government’s directives under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to provide exquisite healthcare services for UAE nationals and residents pointing out that it will discuss erroneous behaviors and unhygienic practices that lead to diabetes.
He mentioned that the forum is a great starting point to explore changing and innovative methods at both national and regional levels, stipulate diabetes on the priorities of government health policies in the region, and train specialists to screen diabetes at early stages before it is too late pointing out that the UAE is the fourth country in the world that organizes this event in collaboration with its strategic partners after the USA, Russia and China.
He explained that the UAE Ministry of Health since the approval of the Ministerial Council for Services led by His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Presidential Affairs and President of the Ministerial Council for Services, of the national program to fight diabetes early 2009, put an integrated operational plan spanning over ten years (2009-2018) to fight diabetes and set up a variety of activities and events in this regard.
UAE Minister of Health emphasized that the Ministry will co-host the conference to review with the participants the potential threats posed by this disease, act swiftly to remedy the current situation and reduce its dissemination in the region. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes are increasingly undermining healthcare in the MENA region and a coordinated response is required.
This Forum constitutes a unique opportunity for the MENA region to prepare the ground for the 2011 United Nations Summit on Non Communicable Diseases and the 2011 IDF World Diabetes Congress in Dubai.
The Forum is co-hosted by the UAE Ministry of Health, the executive board of the Health Ministers’ Council for GCC States, the World Bank Group (MENA region) and the World Diabetes Foundation, with the support of the International Diabetes Federation, the Emirates Diabetes Society, the Gulf Group for the Study of Diabetes and the MENA Health Policy Forum. It is co-organized and sponsored by Novo Nordisk.
Today, diabetes is considered one of the biggest health threats and challenges invading the Middle East and Northern Africa. It is affecting the lives of men, women and children. Currently, in the MENA region alone there are an estimated 26.6 million people living with diabetes.
According to recent estimates, the number is set to almost double to 51.7 million people by 2030, which will have a significant impact on health systems, governments and economies if no action is taken now.
The efforts of the UAE Ministry of Health to hold such a forum assures its attempts to fight the disease and responds to the UN appeals on 2006 to implement its resolution on fighting diabetes and launch regional initiatives in this regard.
The Forum is a unique high-level advocacy meeting aimed at confronting the diabetes pandemic in the MENA region and exploring ways to implement the United Nations Resolution on Diabetes (December 2006) and other regional initiatives. This two-day event will also examine the impact of diabetes and explore ways to create change on a regional and national level.
Through this effort, national-specific action plans are expected to be adopted with clear steps on how to prioritise diabetes on national agendas, dedicate resources, train healthcare professionals, detect diabetes and people at high risk of developing diabetes at an earlier stage, and raise awareness.
Furthermore, Lars Rebien S?rensen, President and CEO of Novo Nordisk, said: “Novo Nordisk is proud to support the efforts of the UAE Ministry of Health and the executive board of the Health Ministers’ Council for GCC States in drawing attention of the authorities, media and the public across the MENA region on the need to prioritize chronic NCDs such as diabetes on the political and public health agenda. Ultimately, we hope to contribute to changing behaviors and improving lives in the entire MENA region when it comes to diabetes.
” The MENA Diabetes Leadership Forum in Dubai will bring together key stakeholders and leaders from all over the world, representing governments; national, regional and international organizations; professional and patient associations; healthcare professionals; research and academic institutes; think tanks; foundations; business; NGOs and media.
Headed by the UAE, other participating countries are Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Palestinian National Authority, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen.
WAM