Sharjah will host the first global forum on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) on November 13-15 under the patronage of Shaikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah Founder and Royal Patron of the Friends of Cancer Patients (FoCP) and International Ambassador for the World Cancer Declaration of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and International Ambassador for Childhood Cancer for UICC.

The three-day event on 'invisible diseases' is a collaboration between the cancer charity FoCP and the NCD Alliance.

The event comes nearly a year after the NCD Alliance appointed Shaikha Jawaher as the Royal Patron of the Global NCD Alliance Forum in September 2014 in recognition of her efforts and commitment to fight against cancer and non-communicable diseases locally regionally and globally.

The forum will bring together major NCD organisations from all over the world and a large group of NCD experts and specialists.

The aim is to mobilise attention and raise awareness to secure financial resources to support international efforts in the fight against non-communicable diseases specifically in low and middle-income countries.

The NCD forum also seeks to put the issue of non-communicable diseases on the global agenda.

Ameera BinKaram chairperson and founding member of FoCP said: "The idea of organising this forum was based on an initiative launched by Shaikha Jawaher in September 2014 during a meeting with officials and representatives from NCD organisations in New York. The initiative reflects Her Highness's commitment in the fight against NCDs on the global level as well as her realisation of the importance of creating a global platform supported by scientific facts studies and research.

The forum will also offer civil society organisations a platform to unify their efforts in the fight against NCDs.

"NCDs such as cancer heart disease diabetes and chronic respiratory disease are the leading cause of mortality in the world. This invisible epidemic hinders the economic development of many countries affecting individuals families and governments. Economic losses resulting from NCDs are expected to rise to $30 trillion. Therefore this issue requires unified international effort in the fight against them."

BinKaram added that the forum seeks to adopt a Sharjah Declaration supported by global expertise and capabilities in the fight against NCDs.

The event will provide a platform for knowledge exchange capacity building priority setting and facilitating joining initiatives across the alliances. The forum will engage NCD organisations and experts in a range of sessions to discuss the most important issues related to non-contagious diseases and ways to fight them.