The UAE has a solid health-care infrastructure, good maternal care and low infant mortality rates, yet one of the highest incidence rates of genetic diseases globally. Why is it that in a country with relatively strong health care, genetic disorders are so common in our population?
The single most important factor is due to consanguineous marriages, or marriages between relatives. Unofficial estimates state that 30 to 50 per cent of all marriages among Emiratis are between close or distant relatives. Consanguinity may actually reach 70 per cent or higher in certain rural areas within the UAE. Add to this what is termed as the "founder effect" - meaning that a small population has an enriched gene pool (due to individuals coming from consanguineous marriages themselves) - and one can imagine the multiplier effect taking control very quickly.
From a genetic standpoint, the explanation is very simple: when one Emirati is a carrier of a certain genetic mutation, he or she is not directly affected by a genetic disease but simply carries a line of genetic code that is flawed. If that person marries a spouse with a similar genetic make-up (ie, carrier state), the result is a 25 per cent chance of an offspring who is fully affected by a genetic disease, a 50 per cent chance of being a carrier, and a 25 per cent chance of a healthy child who is not a carrier.
These health issues shed light on one topic that has been debated in The National in the past month: the social and cultural impact of marriages between Emiratis and foreigners. Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi's recent article explored how Emiratis from mixed marriages are an integral part of national development and no less Emirati in their patriotism and loyalty. However, one aspect of mixed marriages that has so far not been commented on is the potential medical benefits of cross-cultural unions from a genetic make-up point of view.
The genetics works the same whether an Emirati marries a foreigner or not - but the statistics are revealing. As of October 2006, the Centre for Arab Genomics database listed 228 genetic disease entries in the Arab population of the UAE. At present, this number exceeds 260, one of the highest figures for any nation globally. Only last year, 16 new genetic disorders were added to the list. According to local statistical data, 8 per cent of the Emirati population are carriers of the blood disease thalassaemia, more than 20 per cent have G6PD deficiency (an enzymatic defect), 25 per cent have some form of haemoglobin abnormality, and the prevalence of Down's syndrome is double the global average.
Only in neighbouring GCC countries, due to similar reasons of consanguineous marriage, can one find such extreme numbers. There are many very rare genetic disorders prevalent in Gulf countries; some are so rare worldwide that there are more people affected in the GCC than recorded on the entire continent of North America. In addition, it is not only genetic diseases that the Emirati population suffers from. The World Health Organisation states that nearly 20 per cent of Emirati breast cancer cases and 8 per cent leukaemia cases are due to strong genetic associations. Many other cancers show similar correlations.
On a brighter note, there have been several initiatives that seek to reduce these disease rates in the immediate future. Genetic screening programmes in some emirates offer premarital testing, and specialised laboratories are being developed to detect genetic disorders before they manifest. However, one needs to look at the future of medicine and genetics for a long-term solution. The "founder effect" can be regarded as both a curse and a solution. Due to the homogeneity of Emiratis and the small population, it has become extremely easy for scientists to determine what genetic mutations lead to what genetic disorders. For many of these diseases, there have not been diagnostic tests to verify their presence in the carrier state. Hence, the future is brighter than the statistics indicate, if as a nation we can utilise the data to our benefit through research.
Coming back to the issue of mixed marriages, previous articles have mentioned the social and economic benefits bestowed by mixed-parentage Emiratis; similarly, there are benefits of such marriages from a genetic standpoint too. However, mixed marriages are not the solution for most Emiratis. One cannot change cultural habits overnight, but we can educate ourselves about the risks of consanguineous marriages.
I have many Emirati friends who have married distant relatives, and made sure that both partners have been screened for the most common disease groups within our population, at the least, in order to avoid the uncertainty once they decide to have children. There are also generations of consanguineous marriages that have resulted in children who do not suffer from any type of genetic disorders. Perhaps the proper course is not to argue whether consanguineous marriages are right or wrong, especially when one is dealing with a complex tribal and cultural context. Instead, awareness of our genetic make-up should be an integral part of education and social participation, including the underlying statistics related to genetic disorders.
All Emiratis aspire to contribute to their country's profile, social welfare and economic development. We should also aspire to reduce the burden of healthcare costs on the nation by leading active and healthier lives, in order to curb the prevalence of diabetes, for example, for which the UAE is ranked second globally. In addition, I believe Emiratis will also aspire to reduce the prevalence of genetic diseases, similar to the higher profile diseases such as cancer and diabetes, through education and greater awareness.
Dr Ihsan Almarzouqi is an Emirati healthcare specialist with a background in genetics and an interest in health-care provision and policy
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Normal People
Sally Rooney, Faber & Faber
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
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
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
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
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COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Happy Tenant
Started: January 2019
Co-founders: Joe Moufarrej and Umar Rana
Based: Dubai
Sector: Technology, real-estate
Initial investment: Dh2.5 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 4,000
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Scoreline
Swansea 2
Grimes 20' (pen), Celina, 29'
Man City 3
Silva 69', Nordfeldt 78' (og), Aguero 88'
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
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RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,200m
Winner: Shafaf, Sam Hitchcott (jockey), Ahmed Al Mehairbi (trainer)
5,30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,200m
Winner: Noof KB, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: The President’s Cup Listed (TB) Dh380,000 1,400m
Winner: Taamol, Jim Crowley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
6.30pm: The President’s Cup Group One (PA) Dh2,500,000 2,200m
Winner: Rmmas, Tadhg O’Shea, Jean de Roualle
7pm: Arabian Triple Crown Listed (PA) Dh230,000 1,600m
Winner: Ihtesham, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: AF Mekhbat, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel
EMILY%20IN%20PARIS%3A%20SEASON%203
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Day 1, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Dimuth Karunaratne had batted with plenty of pluck, and no little skill, in getting to within seven runs of a first-day century. Then, while he ran what he thought was a comfortable single to mid-on, his batting partner Dinesh Chandimal opted to stay at home. The opener was run out by the length of the pitch.
Stat of the day - 1 One six was hit on Day 1. The boundary was only breached 18 times in total over the course of the 90 overs. When it did arrive, the lone six was a thing of beauty, as Niroshan Dickwella effortlessly clipped Mohammed Amir over the square-leg boundary.
The verdict Three wickets down at lunch, on a featherbed wicket having won the toss, and Sri Lanka’s fragile confidence must have been waning. Then Karunaratne and Chandimal's alliance of precisely 100 gave them a foothold in the match. Dickwella’s free-spirited strokeplay meant the Sri Lankans were handily placed at 227 for four at the close.
SPECS
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Building boom turning to bust as Turkey's economy slows
Deep in a provincial region of northwestern Turkey, it looks like a mirage - hundreds of luxury houses built in neat rows, their pointed towers somewhere between French chateau and Disney castle.
Meant to provide luxurious accommodations for foreign buyers, the houses are however standing empty in what is anything but a fairytale for their investors.
The ambitious development has been hit by regional turmoil as well as the slump in the Turkish construction industry - a key sector - as the country's economy heads towards what could be a hard landing in an intensifying downturn.
After a long period of solid growth, Turkey's economy contracted 1.1 per cent in the third quarter, and many economists expect it will enter into recession this year.
The country has been hit by high inflation and a currency crisis in August. The lira lost 28 per cent of its value against the dollar in 2018 and markets are still unconvinced by the readiness of the government under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to tackle underlying economic issues.
The villas close to the town centre of Mudurnu in the Bolu region are intended to resemble European architecture and are part of the Sarot Group's Burj Al Babas project.
But the development of 732 villas and a shopping centre - which began in 2014 - is now in limbo as Sarot Group has sought bankruptcy protection.
It is one of hundreds of Turkish companies that have done so as they seek cover from creditors and to restructure their debts.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More coverage from the Future Forum
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Countries offering golden visas
UK
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Germany
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Italy
The scheme is designed for foreign investors committed to making a significant contribution to the economy. Requires a minimum investment of €250,000 which can rise to €2 million.
Switzerland
Residence Programme offers residence to applicants and their families through economic contributions. The applicant must agree to pay an annual lump sum in tax.
Canada
Start-Up Visa Programme allows foreign entrepreneurs the opportunity to create a business in Canada and apply for permanent residence.
