REGIONAL
R E G I O N A L C H E C K - U P
MIDDLE EAST
STEPPING INTO EMPATHY : T PROGRAMME SIMULATES LIF
Takeda , the patient-centric biopharmaceutical company , brought its global ‘ In Their Shoes ’ programme to the UAE . The initiative , focused on raising awareness of the difficult symptoms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease ( IBD ), entailed an immersive 24-hour simulation that generated a deeper understanding of how the disease affects the daily lives of patients .
It is estimated that more than 10 million people worldwide live with IBD . Traditionally , IBD has been regarded as a disease of the Western world ; however , studies over the last two decades have shown a rapidly increasing incidence in newly industrialised countries in the Middle East , Asia , and South America . It is estimated that 2 – 4 % of the UAE population is affected by one of the two IBD subtypes , Crohn ’ s disease and Ulcerative Colitis .
IBD is a lifelong condition characterised by chronic inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract . While inflammation is the body ’ s natural reaction to irritation or injury , in patients with IBD , it is thought that the body ’ s own immune system mistakenly identifies a harmless food or bacteria within the gut as ‘ foreign ’ and attacks it . This mistake by the immune system leads to an upset in the normal function of the gut and causes symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhoea . IBD can lead to debilitating effects on patients and how they interact with society .
The ‘ In Their Shoes ’ initiative offers participants ( Healthcare Professionals ) a profound understanding of IBD
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