More than 1,000 specialists and researchers in the fields of substance abuse disorders from all over the world will gather in Abu Dhabi on Thursday for the International Society for Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP) Conference.

Hosted for the first time in the Middle East and North Africa region, the conference will take place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from May 12 to 16.

The four-day event will bring the latest learnings from the fields of substance use, prevention, treatment and recovery support.

The conference, hosted by the National Rehabilitation Center (NRC), in partnership with US Department of State: Bureau of Intl Narcotics & Law Enforcement (INL) and International Society for Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP), will focus on the theme of 'Uniting the global community to face the challenge of addiction'.

“This conference seeks to build a global network of strategic partnerships between organizations and specialists in the field of substance use disorders,” Dr Hamad Abdullah Al Ghafri, Director-General of the National Rehabilitation Centre said at a press conference on Tuesday.

“It constitutes a unique opportunity to share knowledge about scientific and research developments in this field, as well as up-to-date effective interventions and the best practices."

He added: “More than 1,000 specialists and researchers in the fields of substance use disorders from all over the world will participate in the conference, more than 80 sub-plenaries dedicated to the latest research and studies. The conference will be accompanied by 25 workshops and 15 accredited training programs in all disciplines related to prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation, for 5 days in addition to the 7-days online conference with a total of 150 hours of broadcast, making it one of the longest online conferences in the field of Substance Use Disorders”.

The NRC is participating in the conference by presenting seven scientific research and studies recently completed at the centre.

Dr Al Ghafri added: "The conference is the first scientific International event of this magnitude in the field of substance use since the beginning of Covid-19 pandemic. The fact that this event is happening in Abu Dhabi demonstrate the international confidence in the UAE and Abu Dhabi after the success achieved in controlling the pandemic.

“It highlights Abu Dhabi's outstanding infrastructure, which enables it to host international events in various sectors, especially the health sector. The conference attracts the world's attention to the medical tourism in Abu Dhabi and reflects the emirate's keenness to provide the latest medical practices and techniques based on scientific research and innovation in the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of substance use."