6th Dec 2018

Preventative Measures and Positive Lifestyle Changes can pose as a Cost-Effective Solution to Tackle Non-Communicable Diseases

Dubai Science Park (DSP), a holistic science-focused business community, hosted its fourth Advance Health meeting under the theme ‘Health and Wellness for Disease Prevention’. The networking event convened stakeholders from Dubai’s healthcare community to discuss ways of reducing the occurrence of non-communicable lifestyle-related diseases in the country.

The forum was organised by DSP in partnership with Open Health, a medical communication and market access agency, Synapse Medical Services, a healthcare administration company, and Connect Communications, a strategic healthcare communications agency.

Welcoming the audience, Marwan Abdulaziz Janahi, Managing Director of DSP and Chairing Member of the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Equipment Taskforce of the Dubai Industrial Strategy 2030, said: “While people across the UAE are becoming increasingly health-conscious, we still have one of the largest populations that suffers from non-communicable diseases, including cancer, obesity and diabetes. From a financial perspective, investing in preventative measures is much more cost-efficient than treating those diseases, and the promotion of simple lifestyle changes can have a significant impact.

“The latest edition of our Advance Health event brings together stakeholders from the health and wellness industry to exchange insights on how we can become healthier and prevent such diseases before they develop”, he added.

Speaking at the event, Dr Fatheya Al Awadi, Head of Endocrinology at Dubai Hospital, DHA said: “The UAE Vision 2021 emphasises the importance of preventive measures to ensure a longer and healthier life for the country’s citizens. To help achieve this goal, we need to employ an inclusive approach with a stark focus on Dubai’s large at risk population recognizing that Dubai has a largely young population with high prevalence of pre-diabetes and/or obesity. Most of this can indeed be prevented, when all stakeholders come together to ensure we have a comprehensive plan for those at risk. This will indeed empower UAE residents to make the right lifestyle choices”

Marcus Corander, Managing Director of Connect Communications, added, “Lifestyle-related conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases have profound effects on the health and wellbeing of patients, and place a significant burden on healthcare resources. The Advance Health session provided some great insights on the approaches required to achieve a healthier and happier population and it’s clear that we need collaboration from all stakeholders if we are going to make a meaningful difference.”