Meeting of the Region's Top Diabetes Experts in Dubai this March

DUBAI, UAE, February 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

In the Middle East and North Africa around 26.6 million people are diabetic; six countries in the MENA region are among the top 10 globally with the highest prevalence of diabetes. They include the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The region spends $5.5 billion annually on diabetes, accounting for 14 percent of its total health care expenditure and expenditure averages as high as almost $3,000 per person. Health ministries in the region are working to improve these figures by providing accessible screening opportunities and training more doctors and nurses.

"In recent years, UAE has seen a quick increase in the number of diabetic patients, it is estimated that 20% of our population are diabetic. Nowadays, UAE is ranked the 2nd highest worldwide for diabetes prevalence" explains Doaa Said, Divisional Director of healthcare events at IQPC. "Therefore, it is important to gather the policy makers with the leading diabetes experts to develop effective strategies to control the rise in diabetes in our country" added Said.

Recognising the importance of the prevention and management of diabetes in the MENA region, IQPC conferences will be hosting Dubai Diabetes Summit in UAE, which will be gathering the leading experts from international health organisations, national health authorities, local diabetic associations and leading healthcare professionals to work together and create a network of committed key opinion leaders to exchange their knowledge and engage all the stakeholders to fight this epidemic.

The Dubai Diabetes Summit, to be held in Dubai from March 18-21, 2012 will reveal the latest technologies to researchers, clinicians and general practitioners in diabetes. Key opinion leaders will present a rich scientific programme on topics such as novel therapies in treatment of Type II diabetes, updates on prevention strategies to control the rise in diabetes, improving glycemic control via non-medical interventions, innovative approaches to managing the complications of diabetes and more.

The summit will host more than 20 expert speakers from the most important health authorities, hospitals and universities across the world, experts such as Dr. Mahmoud Fikry, Assistant Undersecretary for Health Policies and Affairs, Ministry of Health, UAE, Dr. Oliver Harrison, Director, Public Health and Policy, Health Authority Abu Dhabi, Dr. Abdullah Al-Hamaq, Executive Director, Qatar DiabetesAssociation, Prof. Peter Schwarz, Researcher, University of Dresden, Germany, Professor Devaka Fernando, Consultant Endocrinologist, Head of the Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Sherwood Forest Hospitals Foundation Trust, UK will be providing their insights about the prevention and management of diabetes and will help our country to fight this epidemic.

For more information about Dubai Diabetes Summit please contact Jihan Mohammed, Marketing Manager, IQPC Middle East, email enquiry@iqpc.ae or call +971-364-2975 or go to http://www.dubaidiabetessummit.com