Just 12 months ago, Pakistani father of two Sarosh Sohail was facing an anxious year of ill health caused by obesity as he struggled to shift weight from his 163kg frame.
Plagued with high blood pressure and cholesterol, sleep apnoea and Type 2 diabetes, Mr Sohail was struggling to balance his health with family life and a career in TV production.
But after trying a batch of medications aimed at those with diabetes to help weight loss, he has never looked back and is now an astonishing 72kg lighter.
Mr Sohail now hopes more people with serious weight problems can benefit from changes to the way expensive drugs such as Mounjaro and Ozempic are prescribed.
“I had to fight with my health insurers to get Mounjaro approved because they said it was for cosmetic purposes, rather than health benefits,” said Mr Sohail, who has lived in Dubai for a decade.
“The reality is, it has been life changing. As soon as I started on Mounjaro, my craving for food just stopped. Initially the weight loss was really nice, about eight to 10kg in the first month.
“Then, of course, it reduced to 4kg to 5kg a month. My weight now is between 91kg and 93kg.
“Initially, because I was obese, the insurance covered the cost of medication – but only until October when my weight got down to about 100kg.
“Since then I have had to pay for it myself, which is about Dh1,750 ($476) a month for four injections.”
Health benefits
The heath problems associated with his obesity have all but disappeared, and he is also more patient with his family.
Despite the huge weight loss, Mr Sohail's target is to drop to 85kg.
“My portion sizes have really gone down,” he said.
“I could easily finish two 200g steaks at a time. Now, I can hardly finish one, and have gone from three meals a day to two.
“I used to see food and crave for it. Now I don't feel hungry at all.
“I strongly recommend obesity is considered a disease and that insurance should cover it. It is not a cosmetic thing.”
Dr Sushum Sharma, a lifestyle disorder specialist at Saudi German Hospital, who treated Mr Sohail, said: “Mr Sohail had visited multiple doctors without losing much weight before for various treatments.
“Most of my patients have lost 20kg to 25kg, but somehow this patient had exceptional weight loss.
“He was very careful with his diet and lifestyle and responded very well to the medication.
“Insurance depends on what type it is and will only clear if the patient has diabetes, so he qualified for it to be covered this time.
“If you lose weight, you will have control of your diabetes, but it is a mixed bag on how much weight is lost.”
The drugs, commonly called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists, not only improve blood sugar control but can also lead to weight loss.
The medication mimics the action of a hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1.
As someone eats, blood sugars rise so the drug stimulates insulin production to lower those levels, which helps control Type 2 diabetes.
Although not entirely clear how GLP-1 drugs lead to weight loss, doctors do know they curb hunger and slow the movement of food through the body, making you feel full faster, and for longer.
From my perspective, there should be no boundaries to treat patients and I think costs can be a huge boundary for many
Prof Bart van Wagensveld,
bariatric surgeon
The kind of drugs used by Mr Sohail have surged in popularity in recent months.
Semaglutide, under the brand name Wegovy, is registered for weight loss in the UAE, rather than Ozempic, which is registered for Type 2 diabetes, while Tirzepatide is used under the brand name Mounjaro in the UAE. It is prescribed for the treatment of diabetes and obesity.
According to data compiled by Universal Drugstore, an international prescription referral service, between August 22 and July 2023, there were 151,400 searches on Google in the UAE for the drug Ozempic, one of the most popular GLP-1 agonist class of drugs.
Data was collected using Google Keyword planner, to see how many times each term was searched in the UAE.
Similar weight-loss drugs were also sought by people in the Emirates, with 48,000 searches for Metmorfin, 47,200 searches for Saxenda, 20,480 for Tirzepatide and 18,660 for Wegovy.
Profits for Novo Nordisk, the Danish drug manufacturer behind Ozempic and Wegovy, a drug with similar properties, surged by more than 45 per cent to about $5.7 billion (Dh20.9 billion) in the first half of 2023, due to global demand.
Prof Bart van Wagensveld, a bariatric surgeon and obesity expert at the Weight Management Unit at NMC Royal in Khalifa City, said the new drugs have revolutionised the way medics tackle obesity.
“Bariatric surgery is the longest standing treatment, with excellent results and it's a safe treatment,” he said.
“But with the new medication, we now have a new weapon.
“Before the introduction of the GLP1 agonist drugs, medication wasn't effective.
“Now we see very good results that are getting close to those of bariatric surgery.”
Monthly expense
Monthly costs for emaglutide products such as Ozempic are about Dh1,700 a month, or Dh20,000 for a year.
Bariatric surgery typically costs between Dh25,000 and Dh30,000 for a one-off procedure and follow-up care.
The UAE currently ranks fifth in the world, with about 28.4 per cent of the country classed as obese, according to the Worldwide Obesity Index.
Only the Pacific Islands of Nauru, Kiribati and Tuvalu – and Kuwait – have a higher obesity risk score, that also considers physical inactivity, diabetes and the number of people who are overweight.
While GLP-1 drugs do carry side effects, they are usually mild and include gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, abdominal discomfort, diarrhoea or constipation.
“There is one contraindication, such as thyroid cancer in the family, otherwise you can use it on a very broad scale,” Dr van Wagensveld said.
“Obesity is a chronic disease that needs lifelong treatment.
“Insurers do not always cover these costs of medication yet, but they should.
“From my perspective, there should be no boundaries to treat patients and I think costs can be a huge boundary for many.”
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
The biog
Name: Sari Al Zubaidi
Occupation: co-founder of Cafe di Rosati
Age: 42
Marital status: single
Favourite drink: drip coffee V60
Favourite destination: Bali, Indonesia
Favourite book: 100 Years of Solitude
Duterte Harry: Fire and Fury in the Philippines
Jonathan Miller, Scribe Publications
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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List of UAE medal winners
Gold
Faisal Al Ketbi (Open weight and 94kg)
Talib Al Kirbi (69kg)
Omar Al Fadhli (56kg)
Silver
Zayed Al Kaabi (94kg)
Khalfan Belhol (85kg)
Zayed Al Mansoori (62kg)
Mouza Al Shamsi (49kg women)
Bronze
Yahia Mansour Al Hammadi (Open and 94kg)
Saood Al Hammadi (77kg)
Said Al Mazroui (62kg)
Obaid Al Nuaimi (56kg)
Bashayer Al Matrooshi (62kg women)
Reem Abdulkareem (45kg women)
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
Avatar%3A%20The%20Way%20of%20Water
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJames%20Cameron%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESam%20Worthington%2C%20Zoe%20Saldana%2C%20Sigourney%20Weaver%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The five pillars of Islam
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity
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Opening Premier League fixtures, August 14
- Brentford v Arsenal
- Burnley v Brighton
- Chelsea v Crystal Palace
- Everton v Southampton
- Leicester City v Wolves
- Manchester United v Leeds United
- Newcastle United v West Ham United
- Norwich City v Liverpool
- Tottenham v Manchester City
- Watford v Aston Villa
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The bio
Date of Birth: April 25, 1993
Place of Birth: Dubai, UAE
Marital Status: Single
School: Al Sufouh in Jumeirah, Dubai
University: Emirates Airline National Cadet Programme and Hamdan University
Job Title: Pilot, First Officer
Number of hours flying in a Boeing 777: 1,200
Number of flights: Approximately 300
Hobbies: Exercising
Nicest destination: Milan, New Zealand, Seattle for shopping
Least nice destination: Kabul, but someone has to do it. It’s not scary but at least you can tick the box that you’ve been
Favourite place to visit: Dubai, there’s no place like home
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
MANDOOB
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Essentials
The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Country-size land deals
US interest in purchasing territory is not as outlandish as it sounds. Here's a look at some big land transactions between nations:
Louisiana Purchase
If Donald Trump is one who aims to broker "a deal of the century", then this was the "deal of the 19th Century". In 1803, the US nearly doubled in size when it bought 2,140,000 square kilometres from France for $15 million.
Florida Purchase Treaty
The US courted Spain for Florida for years. Spain eventually realised its burden in holding on to the territory and in 1819 effectively ceded it to America in a wider border treaty.
Alaska purchase
America's spending spree continued in 1867 when it acquired 1,518,800 km2 of Alaskan land from Russia for $7.2m. Critics panned the government for buying "useless land".
The Philippines
At the end of the Spanish-American War, a provision in the 1898 Treaty of Paris saw Spain surrender the Philippines for a payment of $20 million.
US Virgin Islands
It's not like a US president has never reached a deal with Denmark before. In 1917 the US purchased the Danish West Indies for $25m and renamed them the US Virgin Islands.
Gwadar
The most recent sovereign land purchase was in 1958 when Pakistan bought the southwestern port of Gwadar from Oman for 5.5bn Pakistan rupees.
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
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Seemar’s top six for the Dubai World Cup Carnival:
1. Reynaldothewizard
2. North America
3. Raven’s Corner
4. Hawkesbury
5. New Maharajah
6. Secret Ambition
Key recommendations
- Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
- Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
- Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
- More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
