His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, inaugurated third Global NCD Alliance (NCDA) Forum, which began Sunday, at the Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre in Sharjah.

His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi stated during his welcome address at the inauguration ceremony: “More than 18 million cases of cancer were discovered in 2018 and we have lost 900,600 men and women to it. According to World Health Organisation, there will be a 60 percent increase in cancer incidences in the next 20 years, with 81 percent cases surfacing in nations that have a lower level of socioeconomic development, and whose health infrastructure and living conditions need significant improvements,” 

“However, in the past few years, there has been tremendous development towards finding a cure for cancer. We thank torchbearers like Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi and Friends of Cancer Patients (FOCP), all the delegates attending this Forum for their tireless efforts, which make it possible for the world to identify such fatal non-communicable diseases in their early stages and treat them effectively,” His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah added.

His Highness stressed on the need to coalesce community wide efforts to safeguard people’s health and wellbeing by promoting healthy habits, rally against bad lifestyle choices like smoking and introducing effective vaccinations.

The inauguration ceremony was held in the presence of the Sharjah Ruler, his wife, Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Founder and Royal Patron of FOCP, International Ambassador for the World Cancer Declaration of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), International Ambassador for Childhood Cancer for UICC, and Patron of the Global NCD Alliance Forum.