Under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, UAE Minister of Finance and the Patron of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences (SHAMS), H.E. Dr. Hanif Hassan, UAE Minister of Health and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the award, will open the 1st international UAE Genetic Metabolic Conference at InterContinental Hotel - Dubai Festival City next Saturday.

 

The Conference aims at developing an extensive action plan, with participation of all society’s institutions, to confront to Genetic Metabolic Diseases in UAE. 

 

During the 2-days conference, around 200 doctors, nurses and technicians will attend 29 lectures.

 

23 specialized doctors from UAE, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are the conference’s keynote speakers.

 

Prof. Najeeb Al Khaja, Secretary General of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences said that he is proud of organizing such important event within a series of conferences which will be organized by the award on Genetic Disorders over the coming full month in order to shed light on the danger of genetic diseases on community.

 

He added that the 1st International UAE Genetic Metabolic Conference, the first conference of its kind in UAE, will discuss the latest research papers and studies on diagnosis and treatment of diseases which is associated with defects in the metabolic processes within the human’s cells – mostly affecting children - including autism, short stature, deafness and mental retardation. 

 

Prof. Al Khaja referred to that the 1st International UAE Genetic Metabolic Conference has two parallel goals, the first of which is an educational one which is achieved through the conference’s scientific lectures on the latest developments in this field. 

 

The second goal of the conference is an awareness one and is achieved through holding the Rare Disease Day, on the sidelines of the conference under the slogan "Rare but Equal" at Children's City in Creek Park next Monday, in conjunction with International Rare Disease Day on 28th of February.

 

"Rare Disease Day aims at appealing health organizations to the need for research on rare diseases on an equal footing with common diseases", he said.

 

"The Rare Disease Day is a Family Day that opens a dialogue between doctors, psychologists, sociologists and religious scholars, and concerned families in order to help them overcoming their adversity, breaking their isolation and getting involved in their community", he added.