Local experts will share insights on treatment and management, while patients and caregivers share experiences and advocate for support, spotlighting challenges that women and young mothers navigate
24 September 2025, Dubai, UAE – In recognition of World Arthritis Day (WAD), the Middle East Arthritis Foundation (MEAF), a non-profit dedicated to promoting health, hope, and happiness, will host an event on October 11, 2025, at the Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai. With this year’s theme, “Arthritis Matters: Empowering Lives, Building Stronger Communities,” the Foundation aims to highlight the growing prevalence of arthritis, encourage early diagnosis, and build a stronger community of support for patients and caregivers, with a particular focus on supporting women and those navigating fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum care.
The gathering will provide an important platform for individuals living with arthritis to engage with healthcare experts and explore the latest strategies in treatment, nutrition, fitness, and mental health. MEAF has partnered with a range of organisations to raise awareness and highlight the vital role of public involvement in addressing chronic autoimmune and musculoskeletal conditions.
Arthritis is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, encompassing more than 50 types of autoimmune diseases alongside wear-and-tear conditions like osteoarthritis. Globally, 528 million people live with osteoarthritis and 18 million with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which, together with systemic lupus, affects women far more than men. In the Gulf region, about 20% of the population is affected, and in the UAE, patients often face a one-year delay in diagnosis due to low awareness of early symptoms. The earlier the diagnosis, the better the chances of disease remission, more effective medication adjustments, and healthier pregnancy outcomes. Left untreated, arthritis can lead to permanent joint damage and complications in vital organs, including the heart, eyes, lungs, and kidneys.
For young women and mothers, arthritis brings unique challenges. It can affect fertility, limit treatment options during pregnancy, and add risks such as premature birth or pregnancy loss in conditions like lupus. A common myth is that RA improves in pregnancy, but about half of women see symptoms worsen. After childbirth, hormonal changes often trigger painful flares, compounding the strain of caring for a newborn while managing fatigue and chronic pain. With awareness, timely diagnosis, and treatment, severe outcomes can often be avoided, allowing patients, including women planning families, to live healthier, more active lives. Medical and emotional support, including communication between rheumatologists, obstetricians, and families, is especially valuable for women navigating arthritis while planning, during, and after pregnancy.
World Arthritis Day serves to honour patients and caregivers while raising community awareness about prevention and management. MEAF has prepared a full-day agenda from 8:00 am to 4.00 pm designed to educate and inspire. Attendees will benefit from activities such as Yoga for Arthritis, live Taichi-therapy demonstration, and a dance session for joint health. The agenda will also include expert talks on challenges and treatments for arthritis, sessions on nutrition, fertility-friendly and anti-inflammatory diets, and a seminar on mental health, Not All Pain is Visible. The day will conclude with an open Q&A session where participants can engage directly with rheumatologists.
Dr. Humeira Badsha, Founding Member of the Middle East Arthritis Foundation, said: “Arthritis strikes people of every age and remains with them for life, yet public understanding of this condition is still limited. With millions of people living with this disability, including one in five in the UAE, the urgency to spread awareness and encourage early diagnosis is clear. For women, arthritis raises concerns about fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum care. Symptoms may worsen during pregnancy for about half of women, but with careful planning, proper medication, and strong medical support, many can still experience healthy pregnancies and motherhood. On World Arthritis Day, we renew our commitment to empowering patients, lessening disability and deformity through early treatment, and strengthening the community of support around them.”
The program will also feature patient engagement workshops where individuals and caregivers will share personal stories, reinforcing the message that while arthritis presents daily challenges, resilience and community support can help overcome them.
All sessions are free to attend. To participate in the event, please register on www.arthritis.ae/wad/.
For more information about MEAF, visit www.arthritis.ae or follow the Foundation on Facebook: Emirates Arthritis Foundation and Twitter: UAE Arthritis.
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