JOSEPH VARGHESE

DOHA SIDRA Medical and Research Center will organise a ‘Sidra Symposia’ series as part of its efforts to engage in initiatives which are focused on some of the pressing health issues in the country and the region.

The first symposium of the quarterly series will discuss ‘Obesity in pregnancy and childhood’ on Wednesday. Dr Joachim Dudenhausen, medical advisor and head of medical staff services at Sidra Medical and Research Center, said that the symposia series aims to provide awareness on various health issues concerning the people of the country.

“Fighting the prevalence of obesity in Qatar and the region is a collaborative effort between public and medical sectors. The ‘Sidra Symposia’ series aims to facilitate and contribute to the dialogue among medical professionals on issues affecting the population and latest research on these important topics,” Dudenhausen added.

Qatar has been reported as sixth in obesity prevalence globally, with the highest rate of young obese boys, regionally.

Dr Debra Taubel, obstetrics and gynaecology at Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York; Dr Ahmed el Awwa, acting consultant pediatric endocrinology and diabetes at Hamad Medical Corporation, instructor in Clinical Paediatrics, Weill Cornell Medical College-Qatar and other experts will speak on different aspects of the topic which will be moderated by Dudenhausen.

According to the 2008 World Health Organisation (WHO) report, 73.1 percent of males and 70.2 percent of females are overweight in Qatar while 31.3 percent of males and 38.1 percent of females are obese. The Arabian Business 2009 reported that as per Hamad Medical Corporation and WHO survey, 70 percent of Qatari children live unhealthy lifestyles while half of them suffer from malnutrition — either over or under weight. There are 1,604,000 people residing in Qatar with an average life expectancy of 76 as per a WHO 2012 report.

Sidra is a modern academic medical centre in Qatar, focusing on three key areas of world-class health care for women and children, medical education and biomedical research. It has been designed as per the highest international standards, with state-ofthe- art medical equipment and sophisticated laboratories to nurture innovation and clinical advancement. The Center will be a fully digital facility, incorporating the most advanced information technology applications in clinical, research and business functions.