The Health Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Dr. Hanif Hassan has called on countries of the Middle East and North Africa Region (MENA) to pool their efforts and work together to reverse the rising diabetes tide and its serious implications if they want to develop their economies, secure healthy lifestyle to their peoples and increase their productivity. The UAE Minister told the opening session of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Diabetes Leadership Forum in Dubai yesterday that :''there is an urgency for short, medium and long term strategic prevention, control and education plans. ''We need to adopt clear-cut and well-studied, applicable plans to fight diabetes, '' he said. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of the participants of the Forum, which is in progress under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance of the United Arab Emirates. As many as 700 regional and international experts are participating in this forum. --MORE