World Diabetes Congress to be held in Dubai

Dubai: The World Diabetes Congress will be held in Dubai from December 4 to 8 and will draw 15,000 experts from across the globe, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) announced yesterday.

With the second highest rate of diabetes prevalence globally, the UAE is the logical and strategic choice for the flagship event, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) said. The Federation estimates that over 20 per cent of the country's population could be living with the condition within a generation.

The major social and economic developments in the region over the last few decades have come at a huge cost to public health, the Federation notes. One in five adults in the Middle East now lives with diabetes.

The Congress will follow the UN high-level meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases in September.