30 January 2008

Abu Dhabi hosts first energy meeting

January 26 - February 08, 2007
Issue 41
www.alaintimesuae.com

Alternative sources of energy must be applied - UAEU researchers

A month after the United Nations Conference on Climate Change, the UAE took on the lead to propose ‘cleaner and safer’ energy sources that could annihilate the environmental problem, January 21-23.

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, over 80 speakers, 5,000 delegates and 180 international exhibitors participated in the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) to discuss the future of the energy industry, protect the stability of global energy markets and emphasise the need for alternative energy.

Specifically, they talked about Sustainable Architecture and Green Buildings; Future Energy Policy and Strategy; Financing Sustainable Development and Sustainable Cities; Carbon Management; Turning Waste into Energy; Solar Energy; Clean Transportation; Geothermal Energy; Fuel Cells; Ocean Power; Biofuels; Wind Energy; Carbon Neutral Buildings; and Urban Density and Design.

A workshop on Cleaner Technologies for Economic Growth and a Better Environment organized by the World Energy Council (WEC) was also held after the three-day summit, January 24.

At the Forefront

Two researchers of the UAE University who attended the event and workshops applauded the UAE government for initiating a global challenge. “The UAE has made the right decision: to go with renewable energy and combat climate change. It may be a little late, but way better than not. And UAE is surely at the forefront of GCC countries and the Middle East when it comes to renewable energy. The recent energy summit was a good thing,” said Dr. Abbas Fardoun, Assistant Professor of the Electrical Engineering Department of UAE University.

Dr. Muftah El-Naas, Associate Professor in the Chemical and Petroleum Department of UAE University, also approved. “Global warming is an important issue, and the UAE has always promoted clean environment and energy-efficient systems. It is a very smart move. To depend only on one energy source is, eventually, to find yourself lagging behind. It is good to look onto different sources, however, this does not mean that fossil fuels are out.”

Currently, the Abu Dhabi government has contributed $15 billion to finance projects on solar, wind and hydrogen power; carbon reduction and management; sustainable development; education; manufacturing; and research and development. The emirate is also building the ‘world’s greenest city,’ where carbon, wastes and cars emitting poisonous gases would not be found.

“Masdar City will question conventional patterns of urban development, and set new benchmarks for sustainability and environmentally friendly design… Masdar is an example of the paradigm shift that is needed,” Dr. Sultan al Jaber, CEO of Masdar, was noted sayin.

Still though, there is more to be done. “Most Emiratis are ready to embrace renewable energy. But it is not enough. People in the UAE still spend more on electricity - they still do not turn off the lights or shut down the A/C when no one is using it. Civil societies are also less powerful. What this society should do is to take on the lead and not to wait upon the government to do so. They should not just keep on watching, but become a part of the game,” Dr. Fardoun said.

“I would encourage that we first determine the goal of our society. I do not think having renewable energy is a goal by itself but, rather, to make Earth friendlier, cleaner and safer. We should care about our ozone layer. We should care about global warming. We should care to save energy. We should care to recycle. We should care to protect our society. There are many things that we can do and everyone - educators, media, and private industries – can do something if everyone does his or her job,” he added.

The option

To develop alternative sources of energy is the only way the two researchers deem could restrain the environmental problem. “We are looking on how to treat and refine wastewater. You know, the UAE desalination plants generate about 10 tons of wastewater every second which is usually sent back to the sea. We are trying to find ways to utilize these huge amounts of wastewater by reacting it with carbon dioxide, reducing its salinity and using it for irrigation. Thus, we deal with two major environmental problems at the same time: wastewater and carbon dioxide emission.” Dr. El-Naas said.

“Recycling or turning wastes into energy has many advantages. The most important of which is minimizing waste and protecting the environment. The only disadvantage I can see from it is the tendency for some companies to be more waste-oriented since there is way to manage it anyway.”

There is also the possibility of ‘capturing’ carbon dioxide and ‘storing’ it. “The objective of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is, as the name implies, to capture carbon dioxide, store it, and then utilize it for useful purposes such as in petrochemical reactions, wastewater management or enhanced oil recovery (i.e. displacing oil).”

“CCS can definitely help in the reduction of global warming. Research shows that more than 50% of global warming is caused by carbon dioxide emissions. Scientifically, it is clear that we should reduce it,” Dr. El-Naas further explained.

Dr. Fardoun, on the other hand, sees renewable energy as a must. “Renewable energy must be applied to resist climate change as well as to counter the increasing oil cost. The UAE may be an oil-rich country but we could not know if it would still be after 50 years. We have to prepare for that.”

Renewable energy is a ‘clean’ form of energy where there is no emission of carbon dioxide. Developing it could also replace limited reserves of energy, which currently comes mostly from oil only. “Another good reason is that you will be going to find all the uses of technology and not when it is not there anymore. Technology is not magic. Renewable energy is not magic at all. All we need to do is to work on it to be ready.”

“But at the end of the day, what the industry will be deciding on is money. Money is the bottom line. And that is part of the trade-off policymakers need to decide on, a trade-off between now and the future – how much we are paying now and how much the next generations will pay to fix these warming effects… Wind energy could cost 8 cents per kilowatt-hour; solar energy could cost 20 cents per kilowatt-hour. But these extra cents we would pay now could save us a lot of money down the road.”

“The other reason is infrastructure. Renewable energy would require, at least for now, much real estate and it could cost a lot. Here in the UAE, we can apply solar energy. We have the sun for many days of the year and it is very practical. I would also not rule out wind energy and nuclear energy. But, as I said, they would have to pay more for real estate.”

“I think though they can make up for it. To wait for 50 years more is not a wise decision because you know that something is going to happen [because of climate change] and yet you do nothing about it,” Dr. Fardoun said.

Dr. El-Naas also thinks the same way. “We have to manage our wastes somehow. It is not only beneficial, but it is a must. If we do not deal with them now, it will be very difficult to manage them in the future. If you always look into the negative effect, you will never do anything. We need to do what we can. We cannot just say that this is not possible. We can minimize the emissions of carbon dioxide and eventually, make a difference.”

“The UAE is very small country, but we generate a lot of waste. If you look at how much waste we generate, we may rank among the highest. Everything is in plastic, and they are just thrown away. Recycling may not convert things into energy, but it makes waste useful. We should also lessen our dependency on cars, which contribute to carbon dioxide emission, and utilize public transports more.”

“We cause these carbon dioxide emissions and global warming because of the industrial globalization we have now. If you look at our region, we never had any problems with climate change, until last year when we had a hurricane in Oman. This is one of the consequences of global warming; I am not sure if we should be passive and just leave everything like this. We are definitely responsible.”

WIRA launches awareness campaign on Rheumatoid Arthritis

January 26 - February 08, 2007
Issue 41
www.alaintimesuae.com

If not treated, 60% of the patients will become disabled

“Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) can have tremendous impact not only to sufferers
but also for their families and the society at large.
Disability from RA causes a major economic impact,
thus the great need to raise awareness and educate the public, especially women.
- Dr. Huda Al Suwaidi, Family Medicine Consultant for the UAE Ministry of Health

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a disease that affects more women than men. And in the UAE, 19,500 women have it but are not aware that they do.

For this, the Ministry of Health and the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi supported the Women’s Initiative for Rheumatoid Arthritis (WIRA), an organization that seeks to spread awareness on rheumatoid arthritis. Patient groups, medical societies and private organizations alike have also backed the movement, such as the Emirates Arthritis Foundation, UAE Rheumatology Club, ENOC, Etisalat, Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA), Jeema and Abbott.

“Today, young working people need approximately Dh70,000 per year to cover the cost of medication for rheumatoid arthritis. Our latest research shows that people in the UAE who cannot afford care are 50% more likely to become disabled and, unfortunately, only 50% of the patients can afford their care,” revealed Dr. Cathy Leibman, Director of Operations at the Emirates Arthritis Foundation.

“There is also a delay of diagnosis of 13 months, and a delay of the start of treatment of 18 months. Of those having treatment, about 57% of the patients does not take it right. And if left untreated, 60% of the patients will become disabled. Obviously, there really is lack of awareness on rheumatoid arthritis,” she added.

A woman’s disease

Rheumatoid arthritis, which is commonly referred to as RA, is a disease of the immune system that attacks healthy tissues, damages joints, and causes disfigurement and disability. It usually occurs during the middle years and can happen to anyone – children or adults. However, the fact that it affects two- to three-fold times more women than men makes it generally a woman’s disease.

Betty Leanderson, Music Teacher at the Sheikh Zayed Private Academy for Girls and 25-year RA patient and survivor testifies: “I was in my late thirties when I started to experience stiffness and aches and soreness in my joints very often. Then there came a day when I cannot even put my hands on the steering wheel to drive myself to the doctor. I also experienced difficulty wearing high-heeled shoes.”

“When I was first diagnosed, there was less awareness and effective treatment available for RA patients… RA is difficult to detect, especially in its early stages where the symptoms can be minimal and linked to common conditions, such as normal exhaustion and pain.”

Luckily, Leanderson has managed to stay positive all throughout. “I do not consider myself much as a victim of rheumatoid arthritis, but as a mature adult who happens to have rheumatoid arthritis. When I learned that I have RA, I started treatment, took my medicines, exercise, eat good food, take care of my health and listen to my body. I try to take care of myself the best way I could, and rest when I get tired. I do not feel sad. I do not want to be sad.”

“RA is a disease that you either get or do not. In my understanding, it is not something that triggers; it is there, so there is nothing necessary to prevent it from happening. But what you can do is make sure that you eat properly, exercise, take good care of your health, and consult a doctor once you feel stiff or sore or have aches in your joints. Patients need to be persistent, while doctors need to be honest. Knowledge is power, and the key to that knowledge is education.”

Presently, rheumatology departments in the UAE have advanced so much to the point that they can accurately detect where exactly rheumatoid arthritis can be found. The Ministry of Health has also accredited four types of medications for the disease. Meanwhile, the Emirates Arthritis Foundation, in its part, created awareness programs and support groups for RA patients, and an endowment fund for those who cannot afford RA treatments.


Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis

· Redness, heat, swelling and pain (on a pair of joints)
· Prolonged morning stiffness (on a pair of joints)
· Decreased range of movement
· Fever
· Weight Loss
· Fatigue
· Anemia

How to Manage RA
(As advised by Dr. Walid Al Shehi, Consultant Rheumatologist)

· If there is stiffness for six weeks or more on a pair of joint, consult a rheumatologist.
· Avoid doctor shopping, or visiting one doctor and then another, because you might lose good treatment.
· Have regular blood tests, especially if you have the RA.
· Know more about your disease through research and Internet – it is the patient and the doctor that must be involved.
· Avoid taking medications prescribed to another patients; some have infections that you do not have.
· Avoid herbal remedies; some of it can destroy the liver and before you know it, you need a new liver.
· Remember: Diseases are part of your life, but do not make your life a disease.

16 January 2008

UAE Cardiologist warns Emiratis of high blood rate

January 12 - 25, 2008
Issue 40
www.alaintimesuae.com

Every 1 in 4 people suffer from hypertension

A sedentary lifestyle and eating fat-rich, salty foods has caused nearly 38% of people living in the UAE to have hypertension, while 6.7% of people ages 20-39 only already acquired it.

“As you see, we have less exercise and fewer activities to do here; the car drops us at the very gate of our house. People, especially the younger generation, tend to eat more in fast foods,” said Dr. Awatif Al Sousa, Consultant Cardiologist and Gastroenterologist of Sheikh Khalifa Medical Center, during her lecture The Silent Killer: Know Your Number at the Abu Dhabi Ladies Club.

To beat it, people need not only be aware of the disease but also take on a more active lifestyle. “Although the risk of hypertension increases as one ages, it does not mean that it cannot affect young people. Hypertension happens to those who are overweight, have high blood sugar and eat a lot of salty foods but less vegetables,” she added.

The ideal blood pressure a person should have is 120 mmHg over 80 mmHg, which is also referred to as the optimal blood pressure. Anything between 121 mmHg to 139 mmHg over 81 mmHg to 89 mmHg is already a ‘high normal’ blood pressure or pre-hypertension.

“Hypertension is a disease without symptoms, which is what is more dangerous about it. No one is immune in having hypertension. It depends on your age, body weight, family history, and other problems you had.”

“There is no study, which tells exactly the percentage of being at risk with hypertension if you have a family history of it, but we can say that they are more liable than the others. There are some infants born with hypertension because of congenital problems. There are some hormonal problems caused by steroids, and there are children among these people who consequentially develop hypertension.”

Bigger problems

There are more to taking on the risks that leads one to have hypertension. “The problem is that people think that they if have no symptom, they are all right. This is a very, very wrong concept, and people do not realize this,” Dr. Al Sousa said.

“Those who have post-family history for hypertension must get themselves check. For those who have none, even they should start taking their blood pressure once they reached their 20s in an annual basis. Once they develop a high blood pressure, they should start modifying their lifestyle or, if it does not work, take hypertensive drugs.”

Another confusion people have is the notion that hypertension happens only to old people. “There is nothing like an acceptable high blood pressure for any age. A high blood pressure cannot be normal just because you aging. This is wrong. Hypertension is a disease that is really damaging to the body. Everybody should be wary of it.”

Some people also tend to stop their medications once they feel better, or just take some vitamins. “We might decrease the dose of your treatment but we would not stop it, and it is a patient’s responsibility to take medication everyday. The number of medicine for hypertension is not important as how you can control your blood pressure.”

“Taking vitamins would not reduce the blood pressure or the damages hypertension has done to the organs of the body. There are new drugs, which are very protective to the organs, such as the kidney and the heart, that are already available.”

“Hypertension is a silent killer. To counter it, we must begin on modifying our lifestyle such as quitting smoking, refraining from eating fatty and salty foods and having exercise. Patients must also take their medication regularly once they are advised to do so."

Adham El Sebaey: Hilton's new man

January 12 - 25, 2008
Issue 40
www.alaintimesuae.com

“Working as part of a team, I can drive things. I can share them my experiences, coming from a different religion and environment. I can give them guidance. I am also an active and energetic person, and I can set a good pace. Working in a hotel is always nice. This is something I always admire in life, and I like what I am doing.


Primed with 20 years of experience in hotel management and a familiarity with the city when it was still young, Adham El Sebaey took on the challenge to be a part of the Hilton Al Ain once more.

“I came from a branch of Hilton in Barbados, an independent island nation in the Caribbean, and was its Senior Director of Operations until recently. I am here at Hilton Al Ain on my first role as a General Manager, though this is not the first time that I have been here. I had worked as the hotel’s Banquet Manager for five years, from 1991 to 1996,” El Sebaey introduced.

But although his adaptability and memories of friendship in the city already sets an advantage, El Sebaey remains keen in maintaining Hilton Al Ain its presence. “Al Ain is developing a lot. Since I arrived three months ago, I can already see big improvement in the business. In fact, last November 2007 was the highest revenue we achieved since the opening of the hotel 40 years ago. I am not saying it is because of me personally, but because business is really growing and developing.”

“For this, I want to make sure that we keep on progressing. I also want to develop my team members and the other hotel staff for the satisfaction of our guests. We have to really work hard in developing activities for the community, and establish strong yet good public relation policy with the rest of Al Ain,” the new General Manager added.

Outlining the types of changes a hotel may undergo, El Sebaey also shared the plans Hilton Al Ain might consider. “There are two types of changes: changes in operation, which refers to how you do things; and changes in product, which requires planning and heavy investment. The hotel has plans, but nothing is concrete yet. We are still studying various scenarios that could cater for the market in the coming years, as the demands then will be different from the demands now. We are just making sure that our next project is the right one.”

Competition is also far from El Sebaey’s mind. “I want to focus on ourselves, and not talk about other hotels. We want to have the right product for the right people. And I think with the diversity of us in the hotel, we can easily target and cater for almost all aspects and all communities… It is all about developing relationships and getting people inside the hotel. Gaining their confidence. Doing something new and different so that people would just come. The hotel, historically, is really strong and very good in all markets.”

“We are very, very committed and excited as well to become leaders of certain things. All of us have a vision. All of us have a plan. All of us work towards a goal. And, working as part of a team, I can drive things. I can share them my experiences, coming from a different religion and environment. I can give them guidance. I am also an active and energetic person, and I can set a good pace. Working in a hotel is always nice. This is something I always admire in life, and I like what I am doing.”