More than 2,000 physicians and specialists from all over the world took part in the 'Emirates Diabetes & Endocrine Congress 2014,' held in Dubai recently.

UAE Minister of Health Abdul Rahman Al Owais inaugurated the conference which was organized by Emirates Medical Association (EMA).

Addressing the gathering, Al Owais said the ministry, in co-operation with official health entities in the UAE, will organize a number of initiatives to curb chronic diseases, including diabetes, which is one of the most common diseases in the UAE.

Minister Al Owais emphasized the importance of medical conferences and exhibitions and the role that they play in delivering international expertise to local doctors through interaction and direct communication with foreign doctors.

He said the objective of the three-day event which ended on February 22, was to review the latest developments in the treatment of diabetes.

Dr Abdulrazzaq Ali Al Madani, the president of Emirates Diabetes Society, EDEC congress president and CEO of Dubai Hospital, affirmed the importance of this conference for all countries in the region, especially because several gulf countries are now listed among the top ten globally in terms of diabetes.

He declared that the UAE was no longer on the top ten list, and the initial indicators of the study conducted by the EMA, in co-operation with specialized entities, showed a significant decline in disease rates in the country.

"The decline was a result of the awareness campaigns, people’s knowledge of the factors that cause the disease, and the public’s tendency to practice sports, especially after the municipalities constructed pathways for walking," he added.-TradeArabia News Service