Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance and President of Dubai Health Authority, the 7th International Society of Nephrology-Emirates Medical Association Nephrology Society, EMAN, Update Congress in Nephrology kick-started in Dubai on Thursday. 

This year, the conference is supported by the Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences. 

The International Society of Peritoneal Dialysis, ISPD, the International Society of Haemodialysis, ISHD, and Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes, KDIGO, have joined forces to lead a highly educative congress related to specialty medicine concerning kidney functions, problems, preservation of kidney health and the treatment. 

Recent studies suggested that a large number of people suffer from kidney disease due to the high prevalence of diabetes and hypertension in the UAE. Kidney disease is usually a silent disease in the initial stage and therefore experts and nephrologists are now highlighting the importance of raising the awareness of early detection through regular health screenings. 

The ISN-EMAN congress was inaugurated in the presence of Humaid Al Qutami, Chairman of the Board and Director-General of the Dubai Health Authority, and a number of senior health leaders. 

In the opening speech of the conference, Al Qutami said, "This conference reaffirms the co-operation among various stakeholders in the healthcare sector in the UAE and beyond, and the joint efforts to advance scientific and medical research in the field of nephrology and renal diseases. Such conferences represent valuable opportunities to exploit the latest expertise and advanced techniques available on global levels to develop the local healthcare sector. 

''The UAE has endeavoured to harness all material resources in support of these services, and to make them available to all residents of this blessed land. An important component of these efforts is spreading the culture of screening and early detection of chronic diseases.'' Dr. Mona Alrukhaimi, the Conference President, said, "The Seventh Educational Conference of the International Society of Nephrology 2017 will discuss a wide range of topics covering all clinical nephrology, dialysis and transplantation, in addition to featuring the latest technologies and methodologies in this regard."