Thousands of cardiologists and other healthcare professionals from over 100 countries are set to attend the World Congress of Cardiology Scientific Sessions 2012 (WCC 2012) to be held in Dubai from April 18 to 21.

Organised by World Heart Federation and co-hosted by Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and Emirates Cardiac Society with the support of Dubai government and the Emirates Medical Association, it is the first time that the WCC is being held in the Middle East.

The congress will bring together global experts in the field of heart health, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke and will include many of the world’s most influential and renowned speakers on these topics, said the organisers.

The event will not only focus on CVD problems affecting the region but will also address the expanding global burden of CVD, said Qadhi Saeed Al Murooshid, the director-general of the DHA during a meeting with Prof Sidney Smith, the president of World Heart Federation in Dubai on Sunday.

According to Al Murooshid, this was the first time that World Congress of Cardiology has come to Middle East.

'Dubai won the competition against Singapore, Cape Town and Kyoto to host this prestigious congress which will help raise public awareness about prevention of CVD which is a leading cause of death in the Emirate, the region and globally,' he noted.

“At the DHA, we strongly believe in hosting as well as supporting such congresses which provide an international platform to bring together experts from across the world to share their knowledge about the latest developments in the field as well as help raise public awareness about the disease and its prevention methods,” he added.

Prof Smith said the congress provides an international stage for leading developments in science and public outreach in the field of cardiovascular health.

'It plays a vital role in helping delegates from developed and developing countries to share science, build capacity and grow partnerships that help in the fight against the world’s number one killer – cardiovascular disease,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service