Under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, UAE Minister of Finance and President of Dubai Health Authority, HE Abdul Rahman Al Owais, minister of culture, youth and community Development, UAE Acting Minister of Health, will open tomorrow 1st Middle-East & Africa Osteoporosis Meeting, at Intercontinental Hotel in Dubai Festival City, which is held over four days and organized by International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) in cooperation with Pan Arab Osteoporosis Society and Emirates osteoporosis Society with the support of UAE Ministry of Health, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences and Dubai Health Authority.

 

Dr. Basil Al Masri IOF representative for Middle East and Africa and Co-Chair of the Meeting’s Scientific and Organizing committees thanked HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Patron of the meeting, for HH continuous support for IOF to hold the meeting in Dubai.

 

He added that the meeting is a unique event in the region as it will discuss 118 research papers on advances in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis with the attendance of 1,000 doctors and specialists within and outside UAE.

 

He said that the scientific program of the meeting includes discussions on the material and structure basis of bone strength, bones markers, menopause and bone, male osteoporosis, and how to treat when to start what drug and how long.

 

He added that one of the most important objectives of the meeting is to develop an urgent integrated strategy for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in the Middle East and Africa. Modern studies indicate to the spread of osteoporosis in all countries of the world in general and in the Middle East and Africa in particular, leading to increase in disability caused by serious fractures, particularly of the spine and hip.

 

Dr. Basel Al Masri added that during the closing ceremony of the meeting International Foundation for Osteoporosis’ report for 2011, by 20 researchers from the region, will be announced. The report deals with osteoporosis in the Middle East and Africa and its economic, social, and psychological burdens on individuals and communities.

 

Dr. Mustafa Izzi chairman of Emirates Osteoporosis Society, Co-Chair of the Organizing Committee and a member of the Scientific Committee said that the Emirates society has prepared the section of UAE in the report, which includes important results announced for the first time in the country.

 

He said that UAE is the ideal place for hosting 1st Middle-East & Africa Osteoporosis Meeting because of its regional and international importance, its great efforts in developing health care services depending on the latest world standards and the role of Emirates Osteoporosis Society, since its establishment in November 2006 and so far, in fighting osteoporosis in UAE.

 

He added that Dubai had been selected with many cities all over the world to celebrate the International osteoporosis Day, on Thursday 20 October, at the meeting’s exhibition area at 2:06 pm, Dubai time, (in reference to No. 206, the number of bones of the human skeleton), by holding unbreakable embrace expressing supporting bone health.

 

Also, the meeting’s organizers invite UAE residents to attend the festival which will be held on Friday 21 October at Dubai Festival City shopping center from four to sixth pm. The festival includes many activities such as yoga, face painting and art performances. A massive march will be launched at seven around the shopping center area as a world message of the three main aspects for the prevention of osteoporosis i.e. doing exercise, eating healthy food rich in calcium and getting vitamin D through exposure to the sunlight.