Sharjah, October 25, 2020:  The Friends of Arthritis Patients Society, FOAP, of the Health Promotion Department at the Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA) organized on Saturday the 2nd Virtual Rheumatologists Forum, under the theme “It’s time for activity”.

The event, which brought together an elite group of doctors and consultants from inside and outside the country, comes in conjunction with the activities of World Arthritis Day and aims to enhance community awareness about arthritis disease and its treatment and prevention methods, keep up with the latest scientific developments in rheumatology, and discuss the latest diagnostic and treatment methods to raise healthcare and therapeutic services provided to arthritis patients.
The meeting was attended by HE Waheeda Abdul Aziz, Head of FOAP, Dr. Fatemah Abutiban, President of Kuwait Association of Rheumatology, Dr. Khaled Al-Naqbi, Vice President of the Emirates Society for Rheumatology, Dr. Ayman Al-Masry, rheumatologist, and a number of the Association members and volunteers.
The forum discussed a number of scientific papers that focused mainly on the most important rheumatic diseases, methods of treatment, and prevention, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis.

“The forum represents an added scientific value to the arthritis diseases specialty, thanks to the active participation of doctors and specialists in arthritis disease and the important topics that were covered in the forum,” said Waheeda Abdul Aziz.
She added: “Such meetings help enhance the level of treatment services provided to patients, in accordance with the best international practices, where the most important local and international experiences in treating arthritis disease are discussed.”

Thanking the participants for the valuable information they provided, Waheeda Abdul Aziz expressed hope that the forum would form a platform for strengthening cooperation with the relevant health societies in supporting arthritis patients, at the local or regional level.
Dr. Fatemah Abutiban thanked the Friends of Arthritis Patients Society for the efforts exerted in organizing the forum which constitutes an important scientific platform to discuss the latest methods of diagnosing and treating rheumatic diseases, as well as being an appropriate opportunity to exchange experiences in joint diseases and arthritis. She underlined that such meetings help enhance the professional and academic competence of physicians and consultants specializing in this field.

Dr. Khaled Al-Naqbi praised the initiatives and activities launched by FOAP as part of its keenness to achieve the health and psychological empowerment of rheumatism and arthritis patients.