The
conference was held under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al
Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance and
Industry, in collaboration with the National Committee on Emergency
Response to Bird Flu was held to raise awareness among government
officials as well as public about avian flu.
In his
opening speech, Dr Abdulqader Al Khayat, Executive Director, DuBiotech,
while welcoming UAE Minister of Health Hamad AbdulRahman Al Midfaa,
said: “Though avian flu may seem like a new phenomenon, it has
happened in the past, and resurfaced again and again. Three influenza
pandemics occurred in the 20th century killing more than 50 million
people — more than the number of people killed in all wars and natural
disasters of the same century, combined.”
“International bodies such as WHO and FAO have recognised that avian
flu might well be one of the most urgent health challenges facing
mankind, and have taken the initiative to start a systematic and
consultative process of developing a global strategy to combat the
spread of the virus.
In
addition, the symposium sought to educate regional scientists and
researchers on the latest research on the avian flu, and develop
recommendations on effective surveillance and containment of the virus
and helped create a plan to combat a potential pandemic.
The
topics discussed included the molecular structure of the virus,
surveillance laboratory diagnosis, current vaccine research, and the
UAE’s preparedness to tackle an outbreak.
Key
speakers at the event were Dr Abdulqader Al Khayat and Majed Al
Mansoori, Secretary of the National Committee on Bird Flu, while
international experts included Dr Richard Webby, flu virologist at St
Jude Children’s Reserach Hospital, Tennessee, US; and Dr Maria Zambon,
Head of the National Influenza Laboratory, PHLS Central Public Health
Laboratory, UK.
Other speakers were Prof Norbert Nowotny, Department of Medical
Microbiology, Al Ain University, UAE; Prof Ahmad Mandil, Dean College
of Helath Sciences, University of Sharjah; Dr El Rashid Dafalla,
General Manager, Emirates Poultry Co; Dr Hani Harake, Marketing
Department, Infectious Diseases, Julphar Gulf Pharmaceutical
Industries; Dr Saeed Ibrahim, Manufacturing Director, Julphar
Manufacturing Gulf Pharmaceutical Industries; and Dr Paolo Marcandali,
Business Development Manager, Applied Biosystems, Europe.
