The UAE has launched a National Multiple Sclerosis Society to help improve the quality of life for people affected by the disease.
It will deliver support programmes, improve healthcare services and provide a community for people in the Emirates affected by MS.
NMSS, established as an NGO under the Ministry of Community Development, wants to reduce the stigma surrounding the disease and support research to identify better treatments and ultimately find a cure.
Fatima Al Kaabi, vice chair of the NMSS and executive director of the Bone Marrow Transplant Programme at the Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Centre (ADSCC), announced research grants worth Dh2 million to support local and international researchers working to develop new treatments and to give a greater understanding into the characteristics of the disease that specifically affect those in the UAE.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord.
It can cause a wide range of symptoms, including problems with vision, arm or leg movement, sensation or balance.
The severity of the disease varies greatly, with some patients showing very mild symptoms and others bedridden or in a wheelchair.
The disease causes the immune system to attack the protective layer that covers nerve fibres (the myelin sheath), preventing brain signals from properly reaching other parts of the body.
It is a lifelong condition with no known cure or cause, although there are treatments to manage symptoms.
Recently Abu Dhabi had its first autologous stem cell transplant for a Syrian girl in her twenties with progressive MS.
The young girl had difficulty walking and controlling her bladder. After the transplant, she was able to walk independently and had regained control over her bladder.
New registry
The NMSS said 2,000 people in the UAE have been given a positive diagnosis for the disease, although the actual number of people living with MS is thought to be more than double that.
In line with global trends, women in the UAE are three times more likely to develop MS than men. People with MS are typically given a diagnosis in young adulthood, between the ages of 20 and 40.
Worldwide there are an estimated 2.8 million people living with MS (35.9 per 100,000 population).
MS prevalence has increased in every world region since 2013.
Dr Al Kaabi announced a national MS registry to track the number of people with MS and the progression of the disease in the UAE, developed in partnership with Abu Dhabi Department of Health, Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre and G42.
“Every person with MS deserves to live an empowered and fulfilling life by having access to the best possible care," Dr Al Kaabi said.
"NMSS will be a critical partner in delivering this vision as we progress with building an ecosystem of support across the UAE. Everything we do will be informed by the experiences of those living with MS – we will listen to and learn from them.
“The society will also be a scientific and research partner for global organisations in the MS field. It will leverage the UAE’s unique expertise to drive innovation and partnerships to find better treatments for MS, and move towards the goal of an MS-free future.”
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
The specs: 2019 Mini Cooper
Price, base: Dh141,740 (three-door) / Dh165,900 (five-door)
Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder (Cooper) / 2.0-litre four-cylinder (Cooper S)
Power: 136hp @ 4,500rpm (Cooper) / 192hp @ 5,000rpm (Cooper S)
Torque: 220Nm @ 1,480rpm (Cooper) / 280Nm @ 1,350rpm (Cooper S)
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 4.8L to 5.4L / 100km
Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh219,000
On sale: Now
Petrarch: Everywhere a Wanderer
Christopher Celenza,
Reaktion Books
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Dunbar
Edward St Aubyn
Hogarth
The view from The National
The Specs
Price, base Dh379,000
Engine 2.9-litre, twin-turbo V6
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 503bhp
Torque 443Nm
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Third Test
Day 3, stumps
India 443-7 (d) & 54-5 (27 ov)
Australia 151
India lead by 346 runs with 5 wickets remaining
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
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