RESUMO
Genetic disorders are emerging as a major health problem in industrialized countries, especially with greater control of environmental diseases. Of total admissions to major paediatric hospitals, 50% are due to genetic disorders, and at least 10% of all adult admissions to hospitals involve major genetic contributions. Several programmes aimed at preventing or ameliorating these genetic disorders are being implemented. Identifying people at risk of genetic disease has helped decrease the burden of such diseases on families and society. Early recognition also leads to greater success of treatment and improves outcome and prognosis. In Arab populations, genetic disorders are still not perceived as a major health problem, even though they are widely prevalent. Applying similar programmes of early detection, maternal screening, neonatal screening, carrier testing and susceptibility testing will significantly help reduce the impact of these disorders in our populations