On the occasion of “World Health Day”, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences” participated last Tuesday in the health week held by “Women’s Union Association” in Sharjah, under the slogan “Your Health is a Treasure”, by delivering a lecture at the association headquarter on genetic disorders in the UAE. The lecture comes within a series of lectures and daily meetings organized by the association, in order to communicate directly with the largest possible segment of women to raise their awareness of key health problems, and ways of prevention and treatment. 

 

The lecture was followed by a meeting with Sheikha “Majd Saud Al-Qassimi” Vice-President of “Women’s Union Association”, during which H.E. Sheikha “Al-Qassimi” thanked Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences and its “Centre for Arab Genomic Studies” for supporting the activities of the society. Dr. “Ghazi Tadmouri”, Assistant Director of the Centre, also thanked the society which made it possible for the Centre to meet with this galaxy of women leaders to raise their awareness of the importance of their role in reducing the spread of genetic disorders in the community. The meeting resulted in agreement on further cooperation between the various centers of the award and the society, through participating in further campaigns for raising the awareness of genetic disorders organized by the association. It is worth to mention that “Women’s Union Association”, which was founded in 1972, is the first women assembly in the United Arab of Emirates. 

 

Dr. “Ghazi Tadmouri” delivered the lecture in the presence of about 70 women of members of the society, women leaders and those who are interested in the subject of genetic disorders. The participants were from different age groups. The lecture included an explanation about the basics of genetic disease inheritance from one generation to the other, outlines of genetic disorders in the UAE and neighboring countries, the negatives and positives of consanguineous marriage, and the importance of premarital diagnosis to reduce the incidence of genetic diseases in the community. 

 

The lecture was followed by questions on the relationship between genetics and cancers and heart disorders, necessity of premarital diagnosis in the absence of consanguineous marriage, in addition to the options available for married couples who carry the traits of a genetic disease.

 

The answers are that some diseases such as cancers and heart diseases may be genetically transmitted, but the emergence of the disorder mostly happens as a result of purely environmental reasons. In case when the couples are carriers of a trait for a genetic disease, it is possible to complete the marriage on the condition that tests must be done for their future children. In case of there is no blood relationship between couples, prevention is still better than cure. Couples should not leave their children health to destiny or fate. There are many diseases that are prevalent in UAE, such as Diabetes and Thalassemia, in which there is a risk to be transmitted to children even if there is no relative relationship between the couple.

 

Dr. “Ghazi Tadmouri” noted that the Arab nation’s heritage is extremely rich in customs and traditions, but there is need to reconsider some of misconceptions like premarital diagnosis for girls. The database of genetic disorders, founded by “Centre for Arab Genomic Studies”, has detected until early this year nearly 247 genetic disorders in the Arab population of the United Arab of Emirates, including 100 disorders in UAE nationals. People must take their precautions. Women are the half of society. Mothers take care of their children and learn them many customs and traditions, which are accompanied throughout their whole lives. The more interest in educating women on health and ways of prevention from genetic disorders, the more guarantee for better health for all members of the family.