Cycling promotes diabetes awareness in heart of Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter

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Denmark Ambassador Ole E. Moesby cycling with participants at World Diabetes Day event. (AN photo by Basheer Saleh)
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Denmark Ambassador Ole E. Moesby speaking at World Diabetes Day event. (AN photo by Basheer Saleh)
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Denmark Ambassador Ole E. Moesby with participants at World Diabetes Day Cycling event. (AN photo by Basheer Saleh)
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Denmark Ambassador Ole E. Moesby cycling with participants at World Diabetes Day event. (AN photo by Basheer Saleh)
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Denmark Ambassador Ole E. Moesby at World Diabetes Day Cycling event. (AN photo by Basheer Saleh)
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Participants at World Diabetes Day Cycling event, (AN photo by Basheer Saleh)
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Female Participants at World Diabetes Day Cycling event. (AN photo by Basheer Saleh)
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Wesaya captain Alaa Hossain Jamalalail speaking to AN. (AN photo by Basheer Saleh)
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Participants at World Diabetes Day Cycling event. (AN photo by Basheer Saleh)
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Updated 15 November 2020
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Cycling promotes diabetes awareness in heart of Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter

  • World Diabetes Day was created in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation

RIYADH: Cyclists got on their bikes to mark World Diabetes Day in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter on Saturday.

Saudi Arabia joined the global campaign on Nov. 14 to foster awareness of how exercise and diet can combat the disease in the local community.
The Embassy of Denmark, in collaboration with the Saudi Ministry of Sports, Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk and the Diplomatic Quarter General Authority, organized a week-long cycling event to commemorate the occasion.
The Saudi Ministry of Health participated in the event in which 50 cyclists took part, including staff from the Embassy of Denmark, the Health Ministry, Novo Nordisk and members of Wesaya, a professional bicycle club in Riyadh.
Led by Denmark Ambassador Ole E. Moesby, a group of male and female cyclists covered a distance of 12 km inside the DQ area.
Speaking to Arab News, the Danish ambassador said: “On this day we focus a lot on people who are suffering from diabetes. An increasing part of the population is suffering from it but many of them don’t know that they are diabetic, so our objective is to increase awareness to all society segments to put diabetes under check.”
“If you take the number of people who are suffering from diabetes in Saudi Arabia, it’s a large part of the population and we need to make sure that they are doing things in such a way that it does not get severe for them,” Moesby said.
“You also have to have a health care system which is able to help them, and that’s what we are here for,” the envoy said.

HIGHLIGHT

The theme for World Diabetes Day 2020 is ‘The Nurse and Diabetes.’

Speaking to Arab News, Wesaya captain, Alaa Hossain Jamalalail, said: “We started the group in 2018 to share the experience of using the bicycle inside Riyadh and its health benefits — people can protect themselves better from diseases such as diabetes.”
“Bicycle rides are so easy and very helpful to stay fit. It can be used by kids, youth and older people; this is the beauty of this sport,” Jamalalail said.
On professional cycling and encouraging athletes to join international competitions, Jamalalail said that more young people were coming to the club.
“In the coming five years, I believe Saudi Arabia will have two or three athletes in the international arena,” he said.
Hany Rezk, business unit director at Novo Nordisk, told Arab News: “Our objective is to share updates and information about it with people, tell them how important is it to control blood sugar and foster awareness with an educational campaign.”
World Diabetes Day was created in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation. It was recognized by the UN in 2006 as the day marks the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, the scientist and Nobel laureate who discovered insulin alongside colleague Charles Best in 1922.


Formerly conjoined Filipino twins return to Riyadh 20 years after lifesaving surgery

Updated 7 sec ago
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Formerly conjoined Filipino twins return to Riyadh 20 years after lifesaving surgery

  • Princess Ann and Princess Mae Manzo stayed for more than six months in the Kingdom in 2004 as guests of Crown Prince Abdullah
  • Princess Ann and Princess Mae Manzo stayed for more than six months in the Kingdom in 2004 as guests of Crown Prince Abdullah

RIYADH: Twenty years after they were separated in a complex surgery in Riyadh, two Filipino twins have returned to the Saudi capital to celebrate the medical expertise that saved their lives.

Princess Ann and Princess Mae Manzo stayed for more than six months in the Kingdom in 2004 as guests of Crown Prince Abdullah.

They were separated at Riyadh’s National Guard Hospital.

“After our separation, I gained a new appreciation for individuality and independence,” Princess Mae told the International Conference for Conjoined Twins on Monday.

The event is the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia, a global leader in the field.

She was speaking during a panel discussion titled “Exploring the Multifaceted Impacts of Separation: Conjoined Twins and Families.”

The unique story of the Manzo twins proved the central focus of the discussion.

They are now thriving as third-year students in their native Philippines.

“While we still cherish the unique bond we share, it is a balance of gratitude for our shared paths and excitement for forging our path,” said Princess Mae.

The panel invited experts and family members to discuss the medical and psychological challenges of separating conjoined twins, as well as the broader social, educational and emotional implications.

Princess Anne said that the separation deeply impacted her and Mae’s emotional well-being.

“It has made us more self-aware individually, helping us understand our limits by living life separately with different groups of friends, different schools and different workplaces.”

Dr. Gopal Mitra, global lead on disability and development at UNICEF, highlighted stigmas surrounding conjoined twins, warning that an “obsession with normalcy” often leads to harmful stereotypes and social exclusion for those who are perceived as different.

“Stigma arises when we assign attributes and characteristics to groups of people based on our perceptions of difference — how they look, move, behave, or communicate.”

Mitra added that when a mother gives birth to conjoined twins, the family already faces stress and strain.

Strategies to combat negative perceptions include community engagement, the training of frontline workers and role modeling, he said, adding: “Princess Mae and Princess Ann are wonderful role models.”

Mitra said that inclusive education is a foundation for addressing stigma: “Inclusive education respects individuality and tailors learning experiences to the unique needs of each child.”

Dr. Ahmed Bawaneh, deputy country representative at IMC Jordan, highlighted the emotional and psychological challenges faced by conjoined twins and their families throughout separation and recovery.

“The stigma doesn’t go away after the separation. It’s there before, during and after. It’s something the twins and their families have to grapple with for a long time,” he said.

“It is important that we don’t look at conjoined twins as just special cases.”

After separation, long-term rehabilitation poses another challenge, requiring sustained support from mental health professionals, Bawaneh added.

“We must focus on the stressors they face and provide holistic, integrated support that addresses their mental, emotional and physical well-being. The importance of integrated mental health services cannot be overstated.”

The panel discussion served as both a celebration of progress and a call to action.

“The support system that I had was very helpful during the separation and recovery was my family,” the Manzo twins’ mother said.

Her words served as a reminder that behind every medical milestone is a network of caregivers who provide emotional strength, practical assistance and unwavering love.

“Inclusive education and an inclusive society are not just ideals but necessities — because every child deserves the chance to flourish,” Mitra said.

Preparing professionals to address unique patients is crucial, said Bawaneh.

“We must remember that these children and their families are not defined by their circumstances — they are individuals with dreams, challenges and incredible resilience.”


Saudi crown prince receives message from South African president

Updated 2 min 44 sec ago
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Saudi crown prince receives message from South African president

  • Al-Rassi welcomed Gwen Ramakhoba, the Special Envoy of President Ramaphosa, who conveyed the message on behalf of the South African leader

RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a written message from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday, which addressed relations between the two nations.

The message was delivered to Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, by Abdulrahman Al-Rassi, Undersecretary for Multilateral International Affairs and Supervisor General of the Public Diplomacy Agency, during a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Riyadh, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Al-Rassi welcomed Gwen Ramakhoba, the Special Envoy of President Ramaphosa, who conveyed the message on behalf of the South African leader.

Discussions during the meeting focused on enhancing and developing cooperation between Saudi Arabia and South Africa across various sectors, as well as exploring issues of mutual interest.

This exchange highlights the strengthening ties between the two countries as they seek to expand their collaboration in multiple fields.


Global leaders gather in Riyadh to shape future of non-terrestrial networks

Updated 40 min 37 sec ago
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Global leaders gather in Riyadh to shape future of non-terrestrial networks

  • Event welcomed renowned researchers in technology and investment alongside regulatory authorities at both local and global levels
  • With over 120 countries represented this year, the forum reinforces Saudi Arabia’s position as a global leader in technological innovation and collaboration

RIYADH: The international Connecting the World From the Skies forum kicked off on Monday, bringing together ministers, industry leaders, experts and CEOs from leading companies specializing in non-terrestrial networks.

Under the patronage of Abdullah Al-Swaha, minister of communications and information technology and chairman of the Communications, Space and Technology Commission, the event welcomed renowned researchers in technology and investment alongside regulatory authorities at both local and global levels.

In his opening speech, CST Governor Mohammed Al-Tamimi emphasized the forum’s significance as a vital platform for advancing NTNs in alignment with sustainable development goals, particularly addressing the challenge of space debris. 

He also highlighted Saudi Arabia’s unwavering commitment, in partnership with global stakeholders, to connecting the unconnected. 

As part of these efforts the CST, in collaboration with the International Telecommunication Union, conducted a groundbreaking study aimed at harnessing communication services to reduce the global digital divide.

The Saudi Space Agency also announced the launch of the “Centre for Space Futures,” the first of its kind within the network of Fourth Industrial Revolution Centers affiliated with the World Economic Forum. 

Al-Tamimi said Saudi Arabia took pride in being one of the first nations to establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for NTNs, including the regulation of direct-to-device communications, spectrum allocation for high-altitude platforms and global space sustainability frameworks. 

A key highlight of the forum was the announcement of the winners of the international Competition on Non-Terrestrial Networks for 6G, launched by the CST in collaboration with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. 

This year saw 17 countries take part with 114 research papers submitted, 77 percent of which came from researchers and academics.

The CST is also highlighting its recent technical experiments in NTNs, including the pioneering Seamless D2D Connectivity trial, the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa region. 

The forum is a key pillar of the NTN program, launched by the CST in 2021. The inaugural forum, held in 2022, attracted more than 3,000 participants. 

With over 120 countries represented this year, the forum reinforces Saudi Arabia’s position as a global leader in technological innovation and collaboration.


Saudi conjoined twins center leading global medical understanding, Al-Rabeeah says

Updated 25 November 2024
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Saudi conjoined twins center leading global medical understanding, Al-Rabeeah says

  • Centralized healthcare key for advancing research and expertise, conference told
  • Abdullah Al-Rabeeah: Building a center of excellence with a large volume, it brings value of experience, value of research, value of outcome and value of care for the patients

RIYADH: Centralizing medical knowledge in the Arab world is key to improving specialized medical care, Saudi Arabia’s top surgeon has said.

Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, who also serves as supervisor-general of Saudi aid agency KSrelief and was once minister of health, was speaking at Riyadh’s International Conference on Conjoined Twins.

The Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, established in 1990, has separated dozens of conjoined twins from countries around the world under the care of Al-Rabeeah.

He said that dealing with rare specialties in medicine requires experience and volume, which comes with population. Most countries in the Middle East can go decades without seeing a case of conjoined twins, he added.

“Building a center of excellence with a large volume, it brings value of experience, value of research, value of outcome and value of care for the patients,” Al-Rabeeah said.

Quoting Lord Ara Darzi of the UK, who spoke at an earlier ministerial roundtable at the conference, Al-Rabeeah added: “In certain specialties you need to decentralize, like family medicine, women’s care — you have to have access anywhere. But in certain specialties, like conjoined twins, you need to centralize.”

Al-Rabeeah said that as health minister, he constantly called for collaboration between GCC and Arab countries to concentrate specialties into central reference centers to promote research and development, and advance expertise in the region.

Compared to worldwide numbers, Al-Rabeeah added that the conjoined twins program in Saudi Arabia is “on the top … in terms of volume and expertise and success rates, we are one of the highest in the world.”

With 143 evaluated cases and 61 separations, there are now seven cases waiting to be evaluated.

“The unique thing about Saudi Arabia: It is a large volume done by one team,” Al-Rabeeah said.

The team of conjoined twins specialists in Saudi Arabia have “collected the wealth of knowledge and developed their expertise,” and are ready to pass it on to younger generations of surgeons, he said.

Al-Rabeeah recommends early antenatal care to ensure the health and wellness of both mother and the baby, and to prepare any necessary treatment plans early on.

“One thing which has changed in the last three-and-a-half decades is the early diagnosis … during pregnancy, we have to ensure the level of anomalies and the risk on the mother,” he said.

Once the twins are born, a complete picture of the heart’s conditions, spinal columns, nerves and vital organs must be established before a plan of operation is set in place.

“After separation, now another dilemma is rehabilitation … how they can go into society, the independence, the separation trauma. We have to deal with all of those until the child moves from one body to two bodies which are independent,” he added.

For a complete transformation for both the patients and their family, the post-operative psychological and rehabilitative follow-up is a crucial step in the procedural process.

“If you have not lived with those families, you will not feel it. I have lived with them; I have listened to them. And it is actually a trauma to the mother, a trauma for the father and a challenge for the babies,” Al-Rabeeah said.

He recounted babies who cannot be bottle-fed because their sibling is in the way, so the doctors have to create tubes that connect between the nipples and each baby.

This creates an uncomfortable experience for the mother, and a difficult situation to encounter for women living in rural areas, lower-income families, or those living in countries with fragile health systems.

“(After) this trauma and uncertainty, as soon as you separate them … their whole lives have changed,” he added.

The Riyadh conference is set to hear from separated twins, who will tell audiences how surgery has changed their lives, allowing them to become more independent and integrated into society, Al-Rabeeah said.

In partnership with the UN Population Fund, Children’s Fund, as well as local and regional NGOs, nine agreements were signed on Sunday at the conference, two of which related to conjoined twins.

Additionally, four agreements were signed for the establishment of prosthetic centers aimed at improving children’s quality of life.

Al-Rabeeah also highlighted the signing of an agreement for children in Gaza: “This is something that is important and they deserve attention by us and others.”


Formerly conjoined Filipino twins return to Riyadh 20 years after lifesaving surgery

Updated 25 November 2024
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Formerly conjoined Filipino twins return to Riyadh 20 years after lifesaving surgery

  • Princess Mae: After our separation, I gained a new appreciation for individuality and independence
  • Dr. Ahmed Bawaneh, deputy country representative at IMC Jordan, highlighted the emotional and psychological challenges faced by conjoined twins

RIYADH: Twenty years after they were separated in a complex surgery in Riyadh, two Filipino twins have returned to the Saudi capital to celebrate the medical expertise that saved their lives.

Princess Ann and Princess Mae Manzo stayed for more than six months in the Kingdom in 2004 as guests of Crown Prince Abdullah.

They were separated at Riyadh’s National Guard Hospital.

“After our separation, I gained a new appreciation for individuality and independence,” Princess Mae told the International Conference for Conjoined Twins on Monday.

The event is the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia, a global leader in the field.

She was speaking during a panel discussion titled “Exploring the Multifaceted Impacts of Separation: Conjoined Twins and Families.”

The unique story of the Manzo twins proved the central focus of the discussion.

They are now thriving as third-year students in their native Philippines.

“While we still cherish the unique bond we share, it is a balance of gratitude for our shared paths and excitement for forging our path,” said Princess Mae.

The panel invited experts and family members to discuss the medical and psychological challenges of separating conjoined twins, as well as the broader social, educational and emotional implications.

Princess Anne said that the separation deeply impacted her and Mae’s emotional well-being.

“It has made us more self-aware individually, helping us understand our limits by living life separately with different groups of friends, different schools and different workplaces.”

Dr. Gopal Mitra, global lead on disability and development at UNICEF, highlighted stigmas surrounding conjoined twins, warning that an “obsession with normalcy” often leads to harmful stereotypes and social exclusion for those who are perceived as different.

“Stigma arises when we assign attributes and characteristics to groups of people based on our perceptions of difference — how they look, move, behave, or communicate.”

Mitra added that when a mother gives birth to conjoined twins, the family already faces stress and strain.

Strategies to combat negative perceptions include community engagement, the training of frontline workers and role modeling, he said, adding: “Princess Mae and Princess Ann are wonderful role models.”

Mitra said that inclusive education is a foundation for addressing stigma: “Inclusive education respects individuality and tailors learning experiences to the unique needs of each child.”

Dr. Ahmed Bawaneh, deputy country representative at IMC Jordan, highlighted the emotional and psychological challenges faced by conjoined twins and their families throughout separation and recovery.

“The stigma doesn’t go away after the separation. It’s there before, during and after. It’s something the twins and their families have to grapple with for a long time,” he said.

“It is important that we don’t look at conjoined twins as just special cases.”

After separation, long-term rehabilitation poses another challenge, requiring sustained support from mental health professionals, Bawaneh added.

“We must focus on the stressors they face and provide holistic, integrated support that addresses their mental, emotional and physical well-being. The importance of integrated mental health services cannot be overstated.”

The panel discussion served as both a celebration of progress and a call to action.

“The support system that I had was very helpful during the separation and recovery was my family,” the Manzo twins’ mother said.

Her words served as a reminder that behind every medical milestone is a network of caregivers who provide emotional strength, practical assistance and unwavering love.

“Inclusive education and an inclusive society are not just ideals but necessities — because every child deserves the chance to flourish,” Mitra said.

Preparing professionals to address unique patients is crucial, said Bawaneh.

“We must remember that these children and their families are not defined by their circumstances — they are individuals with dreams, challenges and incredible resilience.”