UAE UNITES FOR DIABETES The nation’s leading healthcare drivers join hands with United Nations - Emirates Foundation, ICLDC, HAAD, Ministry of Health

Abu Dhabi, 10 November 2007 — As the global media spotlight prepares to shine on diabetes [World Diabetes Day (WDD), 14 November 2007], four of the nation’s leading voices in healthcare have pulled together in support of the United Nations’ Unite for Diabetes’ campaign.

The Emirates Foundation, Health Authority - Abu Dhabi (HAAD), UAE’s leading centre for specialist diabetes care , Imperial College London Diabetes Centre (ICLDC) and the Ministry of Health, have pledged allegiance as the nation attempts to stamp out diabetes, said to affect 19.5%, or almost one in five persons in the UAE of the 20-79 age group.

Dr. Maha Taysir Barakat, Endocrinologist and Medical & Research Director at Abu Dhabi’s ICLDC, is set to host the trio, and a senior UN representative, as recent public health awareness campaigns have raised demand for screening and, ultimately, treatment (in the lead up to WDD) on 12 November 2007 at ICLDC, Abu Dhabi including a special media briefing at 10am.

She said that a senior figure from the Ministry of Health, Professor Rury Holman representing the United Nations diabetes campaign, Dr. Oliver Harrison of HAAD and Peter Cleves of the Emirates Foundation are committed to on-going awareness drives and information sharing – including focused research and development.

The United Nations denoted 14 November 2007 as ‘World Diabetes Day’ recognising that diabetes is a chronic, debilitating and costly disease associated with major complications that pose severe risks for families, economies and countries globally.

Turning back to home, the UAE is considered to have the second highest prevalence of diabetes worldwide.

The ongoing public health awareness drive, now in its ninth month and born out of a partnership between the Emirates Foundation and ICLDC, has now been joined by the National Health Insurance Company – Daman, to stage a mass walkathon in the capital (on November 23 2007, 3pm start). Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) has also pledged its support.



WALK UAE 2007 - ‘START WALKING. PREVENT DIABETES.’ is the third step of ICLDC’s multi-pronged campaign, ‘DIABETES. KNOWLEDGE. ACTION.’.



For more details visit: www.icldc.ae www.diabetesuae.ae



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