The UAE is lagging behind the rest of the world in its diabetes care, despite having the highest rates of internationally accredited hospitals in the world, according to a UN-backed report.
Figures are published in a comprehensive dossier on the state of the nation conducted by the UAE University Center for Public Policy and Leadership, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme.
The UAE has some of the highest rates of diabetes in the world, with 2015 figures showing 19.3 per cent of the population have the condition, positioning it 13th on a World Diabetes Federation list.
About 11 per cent of total global health care expenditure is spent on diabetes care, according to the report, or $465 billion a year.
The average spend on diabetic patients in the US is about $8,468 (Dh31,000), and $4,267 (Dh15,670) in the UK — but in the UAE, expenditure on diabetes care is just $1,775 (Dh6,518) per patient, according to the university report.
“Obesity and diabetes pose by far the greatest risk for the UAE and the GCC,” said Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, chairman and managing director of VPS Healthcare.
“These chronic health problems not only pose substantial problems for the patients, but also constitute a massive burden on families, communities and on the economy.
“To overcome these challenges, we need to have information-driven health care, powered by quality, actionable data that will provide insights to inform health policies and programmes for the future.
“These goals are not easy, but the sooner we move from reactionary to anticipatory care, the better the outcomes will be for our populations.”
Cases of diabetes are expected to spike in the next 27 years, and will provide serious challenges to health authorities in the region.
An estimated 39 million diabetic patients in the Eastern Mediterranean and North Africa region is forecast to soar to 67 million cases by 2045 — a 72 per cent increase.
By comparison, European countries are expected to see a rise of 16 per cent, and a worldwide increase of 48 per cent in that time.
“This large disparity in diabetes spending may reflect not only the quality of health care but also the different adequacy of policies, strategies and regulations in health expenditure,” the UAE report said.
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While diabetes care has some way to go to catch up with the west, more internationally accredited hospitals in the country indicates the nation’s ambitions to appeal to medical tourists by achieving globally recognised standards.
The number of hospitals with international accreditation increased from 16 in 2008 to 43 hospitals in 2013, according to the report that claims it is an indicator of excellence of health services.
In 2015, 87 hospitals out of 128 were accredited, of which 23 were public hospitals and 65 privately run.
“It was announced at the beginning of 2018 that the UAE ranked first in the world in the number of medical establishments and facilities with international accreditation,” the report said.
“The Ministry of Health and Prevention planned that all hospitals and centres will receive the international accreditation certificate by 2021, in line with the vision of the state.”
The work is a national document and a key reference for decision makers to help them formulating best public and national policies concerned with human development, and the first since 1997.
“In my experience, the overall health of the country has been improved as the UAE provides some of the best health care services and caters to various requirements of the population,” said Dr Yashar Ali, chief executive of Canadian Specialist Hospital.
“However, due to unhealthy lifestyle, non-communicable diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer are still common in the country.
“The most common trend that leads to non-communicable diseases is smoking.”
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RESULTS
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Catchweight 75kg
Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR) beat Leandro Martins (BRA)
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How has net migration to UK changed?
The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.
It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.
The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.
The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
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Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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