Health in the United Arab Emirates

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Cardiovascular disease is the principal cause of death in the UAE, constituting 28 percent of total deaths; other major causes are accidents and injuries, malignancies, and congenital anomalies.

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Niilo Disorders

In 2009, 119 genetic disorders were identified among Emiratis and 241 among Arab citizens and expatriates combined in the UAE. This is the second-highest incidence of genetic disorders in the Arab world (after Oman). [1] Autosomal recessive disorders are common in the UAE. Hemoglobinopathies are one of the most common disorders among the UAE nationals. Beta-thalassemia constitutes a major public health problem in the UAE. During 1989-2004, more than 850 patients have been registered at the Dubai Genetics and Thalassemia Center. Surveys have shown that the UAE exhibits one of the highest carrier frequencies of β-thalassemia in the Persian Gulf region which is 8.5%. [2] Pre-marital medical examinations in the UAE, excluding the HAAD, include blood group tests, sickle cell anaemia, hepatitis B and C, German measles, haemoglobin variance, HIV/AIDS, thalassaemia, and syphilis. [3]

The Health Authority – Abu Dhabi introduced premarital screening and counselling in 2011. 56,226 men and women preparing for marriage were tested for genetic and infectious disorders were tested between 2011 and the end of 2014. in 2014 16,247 people were tested, 342 were Beta-thalassaemia carriers, 8 had sickle-cell anaemia, 205 were sickle-cell anaemia carriers, 36 had syphilis and 140 had hepatitis B. [4]

HIV/AIDS

In 1985 the UAE established a national program to prevent transmission of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and to control its entry into the country. According to World Health Organization estimates, in 2002−3 fewer than 1,000 people in the UAE were living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS.

Obesity

Obesity is a growing health concern with health officials stating that obesity is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths in the United Arab Emirates. According to Forbes, United Arab Emirates ranks 1 on a 2007 list of fattest countries with a percentage of 68.3% of its citizens with an unhealthy weight. [5]

Diabetes

One out of every four citizens of the United Arab Emirates has diabetes, at a rate of roughly 20% for residents, 25% for Emirati nationals. [6] UAE Ministerial Council declared 2009 "Anti-diabetes Year" on January 11, 2009.

2009 flu pandemic

Emirate of Dubai

A number of surveys have been conducted contributing in establishing comprehensive health promotion program and chalking out prevention and curative strategies. On 27 June 2010, The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and Dubai Statistics Centre (DSC) collaboratively completed first most comprehensive Dubai Household Health Survey (DHHS). The survey covering 5,000 households provided a unique and unprecedented assessment of issues concerning health. Among 5,000 households, there were 2500 UAE National Households, 25oo Expatriate and 700 individuals from labor camps with the purpose of finding out the detailed information on issues such as healthcare utilization, health status, health spending and treatment abroad. According to the Head of Research and Performance Management in DHA’s Health Policy Strategy sector Dr. Eldaw Abdalla Suliman, the collected data will be analyzed over 18 months that will help in identifying and addressing Dubai’s health care issues. The Primary Healthcare Services Sector (PHCSS) of Dubai Health Authority started a health and Socio-economic survey intended to cover 3,000 families in beginning to understand health issues and risk factors affecting population of Dubai. A survey unveiled that 40% of school children in UAE are overweight and 15% are obese. The reasons attributed to these issues were growing trend among children to consume too much fast food and less physical activities. 30 minutes of exercise was suggested and led to initiating physical activities programs in schools of Dubai. A survey by DHA in 2012 covered about 5,000 residents, Emiratis and Expatriates revealed that education and chronic disease are the major factors in enhancing the risk of developing the mental and physical disabilities. Women reported more severe disability problems. According to the survey, there is a direct link between chronic disease and functional disabilities. The various factors taken into account were age, gender, nationality, income and other parameters.

A 2014 survey on 1,000 residents shows that unfit in UAE think they are healthy and reality is totally different. More than half the respondents are either overweight or obese and barely exercise. Inadequate sleeping habits, consumption of tobacco and smoking, carbonated beverages, increasing intake of junk food and lack of exercise is maximizing diabetes and hypertension. DHA has already warned people with heart diseases by considering hypertension a silent killer. A recent UAE mall study reveals that two thirds of women don’t exercise and one third are obese. The study on nearly 5,000 women consisted of questionnaire and tests identified the main indicators of health issues including smoking, high blood pressure, high blood sugar and cholesterol and body mass index. The collected data can be implemented by medical community in the Middle East for research efforts.

See also

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Genetic disorder Health problem caused by one or more abnormalities in the genome

A genetic disorder is a health problem caused by one or more abnormalities in the genome. It can be caused by a mutation in a single gene (monogenic) or multiple genes (polygenic) or by a chromosomal abnormality. Although polygenic disorders are the most common, the term is mostly used when discussing disorders with a single genetic cause, either in a gene or chromosome. The mutation responsible can occur spontaneously before embryonic development, or it can be inherited from two parents who are carriers of a faulty gene or from a parent with the disorder. When the genetic disorder is inherited from one or both parents, it is also classified as a hereditary disease. Some disorders are caused by a mutation on the X chromosome and have X-linked inheritance. Very few disorders are inherited on the Y chromosome or mitochondrial DNA.

United Arab Emirates Country in Western Asia

The United Arab Emirates or the Emirates, is a country in Western Asia. It is located at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and shares borders with Oman and Saudi Arabia, while having maritime borders in the Persian Gulf with Qatar and Iran. Abu Dhabi is the nation's capital, while Dubai, the most populous city, is an international hub.

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Beta thalassemia Thalassemia characterized by the reduced or absent synthesis of the beta globin chains of hemoglobin

Beta thalassemias are a group of inherited blood disorders. They are forms of thalassemia caused by reduced or absent synthesis of the beta chains of hemoglobin that result in variable outcomes ranging from severe anemia to clinically asymptomatic individuals. Global annual incidence is estimated at one in 100,000. Beta thalassemias occur due to malfunctions in the hemoglobin subunit beta or HBB. The severity of the disease depends on the nature of the mutation.

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Centre for Arab Genomic Studies

The Centre for Arab Genomic Studies (CAGS) is a not-for-profit study centre aimed at the characterization and prevention of genetic disorders in the Arab World. The Centre is closely associated with the Sheikh Hamdan Award for Medical Sciences. One of the major projects of CAGS is the Catalogue for Transmission Genetics in Arabs (CTGA), an online, freely accessible database of genetic disorders reported from the Arab World. CAGS has been involved in the Human Variome Project as a representative of the Arab region and has been one of the first organizations to take an active lead in working on the project. CAGS organizes the Pan Arab Human Genetics Conference every alternate year, to provide a platform for discussion and education on genetic issues in the region.

Emiratis Ethnic group

The Emiratis are the native Arab population and citizens of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Their largest concentration is in the UAE, where there are about 1 million Emiratis.

Standards of health care are considered to be generally high in the United Arab Emirates, resulting from increased government spending during strong economic years. According to the UAE government, total expenditures on health care from 1996 to 2003 were AED 1,601,384,360.05 [US$436 million]. According to the World Health Organization, in 2004 total expenditures on health care constituted 2.9 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), and the per capita expenditure for health care was US$497. Healthcare currently is free only for UAE citizens.

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Hemoglobin E Medical condition

Hemoglobin E (HbE) is an abnormal hemoglobin with a single point mutation in the β chain. At position 26 there is a change in the amino acid, from glutamic acid to lysine (E26K). Hemoglobin E is very common among people of Southeast Asian including Northeast Indian, East Asian descent.

Hemoglobin Lepore syndrome Medical condition

Hemoglobin Lepore syndrome is typically an asymptomatic hemoglobinopathy, which is caused by an autosomal recessive genetic mutation. The Hb Lepore variant, consisting of two normal alpha globin chains (HBA) and two delta-beta globin fusion chains which occurs due to a "crossover" between the delta (HBD) and beta globin (HBB) gene loci during meiosis and was first identified in the Lepore family, an Italian-American family, in 1958. There are three varieties of Hb Lepore, Washington, Baltimore and Hollandia. All three varieties show similar electrophoretic and chromatographic properties and hematological findings bear close resemblance to those of the beta-thalassemia trait; a blood disorder that reduces the production of the iron-containing protein hemoglobin which carries oxygen to cells and which may cause anemia.

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The Centre for Arab Genomic Studies (CAGS) oversees genetic analyses on the populations of the Arab world. Based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, it indicates that Arab countries have among the highest rates of genetic disorders in the world. Some 906 pathologies are endemic to the Arab states, including thalassaemia, Tourette's syndrome, Wilson's disease, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, mitochondrial encephalomyopathies and Niemann-Pick disease.

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Habiba Alsafar Emirati geneticist

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Tourism in the United Arab Emirates is an important component of the Emirati economy, and consists of domestic and international components. In 2018, tourist industry composed over 164.7 billion dirham to country's GDP.

Maryam Mohamed Fatma Matar is a geneticist and medical researcher based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). She pioneered studies of genes and advocates for genetic disorder awareness across the Middle East. Matar is the first woman to serve as director-general in the government of Dubai, and is the founder and chairperson of the UAE Genetic Diseases Association.

References

  1. ↑ Elass, Rasha (22 September 2009), Arabs bear brunt of gene disorders, archived from the original on 2016-03-04, retrieved September 22, 2009
  2. ↑ Erol, Baysal, Genetic Disorders in the Arab World: United Arab Emirates (PDF), retrieved February 8, 2009
  3. ↑ El Shammaa, Dina (January 30, 2009), Couples urged to screen health before marriage, Gulf News, archived from the original on February 7, 2009, retrieved February 13, 2009
  4. ↑ "56,000 in pre-marital health tests in Abu Dhabi". The national. 4 August 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  5. ↑ Lauren Streib (February 8, 2007). "World's Fattest Countries". Forbes. Archived from the original on October 16, 2007. Retrieved 2009-02-12.
  6. ↑ SETRAKIAN, LARA (Dec 23, 2007). "UAE and Diabetes: One in Four Has It". ABC news. Retrieved January 11, 2009.
  7. ↑ "UAE confirms first swine flu case". iol. May 25, 2009. Retrieved August 1, 2009.
  8. ↑ El Shammaa, Dina (July 21, 2009). "H1N1 cases put pressure on hospitals in UAE". Gulf News. Archived from the original on August 13, 2013. Retrieved August 1, 2009.
  9. ↑ ECDC SITUATION REPORT Pandemic influenza (H1N1) 2009 (PDF), EUROPEAN CENTRE FOR DISEASE PREVENTION AND CONTROL, 31 July 2009, p. 5, archived from the original (PDF) on August 1, 2009, retrieved August 1, 2009
  10. ↑ MoH announces UAE's first swine flu death, 21 August 2009, retrieved August 23, 2009
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