Diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer are just some of the illnesses coming under the spotlight at a conference in Sharjah. Non-communicable diseases are the world’s number one killer, and account for thirty-five million deaths globally. Conference organisers are looking at how they can harness civil society to raise awareness and reduce childhood mortality by 25% in the next decade. The event will identify barriers, take stock of progress, and look at opportunities to improve disease prevention and control.