Imperial College London and UAE Development Agency launch world-class diabetes centre in Abu Dhabi
14 August 2006
Abu Dhabi's new state-of-the-art diabetes centre was officially opened on 14 August 2006 by His Highness Sheikh Suroor Bin Mohammed Al Nahyan.
The Imperial College London Diabetes Centre (ICLDC), the UAE's largest multi-displinary diabetes facility, will be dedicated to prevention, treatment, training and research covering all aspects of diabetes and its complications.
The event was attended by His Excellency Sultan Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, President of the Tourism Committee, Emirates of Abu Dhabi. It is estimated that more than a quarter of UAE nationals suffer from diabetes. The centre will work to manage and eventually reverse this alarming trend.
After hearing how ICLDC will provide a model for the most comprehensive treatment for diabetes available, His Excellency Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Managing Director and CEO of investment agency Mubadala Development and ICLDC Chairman said, "The statistics show that each of us in the UAE is likely to have a close relative or friend living with diabetes. The opening of the Imperial College London Diabetes Centre is a first and significant step in the realisation of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan's vision to provide the people of the UAE with the best healthcare facilities in the world."
"While the last year has seen us work incredibly hard with Imperial College London to bring the Centre to fruition, today's ceremony actually marks the beginning of our real work in improving diabetes prevention in the UAE and providing solutions to patients and their families living with diabetes," His Excellency added.
ICLDC is wholly owned by Mubadala Development and was created as a result of the strategic partnership between Mubadala Development and Imperial College London, a world-leading science-based university with the largest medical school in Western Europe.
Speaking on behalf of Imperial College, Dr Tidu Maini, Pro Rector, said, "Working together with Mubadala, we are proud that ICLDC bears the name of Imperial College London and will uphold our tradition of pioneering excellence in teaching and research, while setting a new benchmark for the treatment and prevention of diabetes across the Gulf Cooperating Council."
Following the official opening, leading healthcare professionals, government officials, doctors and business associates witnessed first-hand how the UAE's largest specialised diabetes resource combines all facets of treatment and research under one roof.
The iconic ICLDC building, based on the geometric structure of an insulin molecule, is a premier treatment centre which hosts an extensive team of specialised staff and is dedicated to meeting patient needs efficiently on every level.
The world-class research facility contained within the Centre and headed by renowned Imperial College researchers, aims to find mechanisms to slow down and reverse the development of diabetes and allows ICLDC doctors to remain updated with the latest evidence-based treatments and research.
