Philips, in partnership with Lifeline Hospital, will offer free health checks in a bid to raise public awareness of disease prevention, at the Abu Dhabi Medical Congress (ADMC) 2010.

The event will be take place from October 17 to 19, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

A specially designed health check booth will be on display to help educate the visitors on preventative care, with support from medical professionals from LifeLine Hospital in Abu Dhabi, by offering them free simple health checks. The series of tests measure Body Mass Index, sugar, cholesterol, lung capacity and blood pressure.

“We are extremely happy to be part of this program for the second time during the Abu Dhabi Medical Congress, to help stress on the importance of ‘prevention before cure’, as the number of people suffering from health issues such as diabetes and cholesterol continues to rise in the UAE and the rest of the region,” said Dr Shamsheer, managing director of Lifeline Hospital Group in Abu Dhabi.

“According to recent media reports, 1 out of every 4 people in the UAE is diabetic, making the country the second highest diabetes incidence rate in the world.”

Also on display during the show is a mobile breast cancer screening vehicle, designed by Smit Mobile Equipments and owned by Lifeline Hospital Group, specifically adapted to the requirements of patients and healthcare providers in the Middle East.

In addition to providing a high level of patient comfort, the vehicle is equipped with Philips’ state-of-the-art screening solution, the Mammo Diagnost DR, Philips’ digital solution for mammography, designed for efficient high-volume screening.

“The incidence of breast cancer is common in the Middle East and according to the UAE Cancer registry, it is the second leading cause of death in women, accounting for 28 per cent of all female deaths in the UAE.”

Reports also indicate that the disease has a notably high prevalence and a mortality rate of 44 per cent due to late diagnosis, he added.-TradeArabia News Service