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Metabolic Disease, Misaligned Incentives, and What I Learnt at WHX Dubai

James Hounsell, co‑founder of Evolene, attended WHX Dubai and observed that metabolic disease—obesity, diabetes and related NCDs—is far more prevalent in Gulf nations than in the West. He highlighted that less than 2 % of health spending in the region targets prevention, creating a system that excels at treating illness but fails to intervene early. The exhibition was dominated by technologies for managing sickness, with few solutions aimed at preventing disease. Hounsell argues that misaligned incentives, not technology, are the primary barrier to curbing the growing NCD burden.