The College of Medicine and Health Sciences at the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) organized a seminar on the occasion of World Tuberculosis Day, which falls on the 24^th of March each year. The seminar was held in the Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Hall in the college. A mixed group of doctors, researchers and students were in attendance.

The seminar was opened by Dr. Mohammed Al Houqani, Assistant Dean for Education and Academic Affairs. He explained that hosting this seminar demonstrates the eagerness of UAEU to keep up to date with world events and to make a positive contribution towards the spread of knowledge and skills from academics to the wider community. He added that this seminar aimed to raise awareness of tuberculosis and to contribute to combating the disease both locally and globally.

He was quoted as saying that, “There has been significant progress in the fight against this dangerous disease that kills millions annually, and the health authorities in the UAE have exerted great efforts to reduce the incidence of TB while striving to achieve a target of zero TB related deaths by 2015. Precautionary measures include mandatory check-ups for all residents as a condition of residency and the development of the health services provided to TB patients.”

Dr. Mohammad M. Sheek Hussein, Associate Professor of Medicine and Health Sciences at UAEU, and the supervisor of the seminar, said that the remarkable medical progress that the world has witnessed has led to a reduction in tuberculosis related mortality in recent years. The mortality rate has fallen by more than 40% worldwide since 1990, and TB cases in the UAE have been reduced to very low numbers in the last 25 years, making the UAE amongst the countries with the lowest recorded incidences.

The participants discussed the seriousness of tuberculosis. 2013 estimates showed that nine million people had the disease; that half a million of them died and that 360 thousand people were living with HIV AIDS. In addition estimates showed that 37 million people were prevented from potentially contracting the disease between 2000 and 2013.