This open access book is the first and only comprehensive reference dedicated to rheumatic diseases across the entire Arab world, covering all 22 Arab countries in one authoritative resource. Reflecting a region with a combined population of around 480 million people as of 2024, the book brings together a multidisciplinary collaboration of nearly 100 authors, including rheumatologists, pharmacists, nurses, and patients, to provide a rich and inclusive perspective on rheumatology care in the region.

Each country-specific chapter explores national demographics, healthcare systems, the epidemiology of rheumatic diseases, rheumatology workforce and services, fellowship training programs, and research activity, offering readers an unprecedented overview of the current state of rheumatology across the Arab world. In addition, the book features a series of special chapters addressing key cross-cutting themes, including the Arab League of Associations for Rheumatology (ArLAR), rheumatology research in the Arab world, accreditation of rheumatology programs, pediatric rheumatology, pharmacoeconomics, patient perspectives, complementary and alternative medicine, the impact of war and conflict, lessons from the COVID-19 crisis, and future directions in rheumatology care.

By combining country-level detail with region-wide analysis, this book fills a major gap in the literature and offers an essential reference for rheumatologists, internists, healthcare policymakers, medical educators, pharmaceutical professionals, and global health researchers with a stake in rheumatology across the Arab world.

Prof. Khalid Alnaqbi is currently working as a consultant and Chief of Rheumatology at Sheikh Tahnoon bin Mohammed Medical City and Tawam Hospital in the United Arab Emirates. He also holds academic appointments as Adjunct Professor at RAK Medical and Health Sciences University and Adjunct Associate Professor at UAE University. Prof. Alnaqbi is board-certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in Internal Medicine, Rheumatology, and the Clinician Investigator Program, and completed advanced subspecialty training in spondyloarthritis at the University of Toronto. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, contributed book chapters, and has received several awards for excellence in research and clinical medicine, including the PureHealth Research Excellence Award, the Lifetime Research Achievement Award, and the Cleveland Clinic Young Clinician Runner-up Award. His leadership roles span clinical care, medical education, research, and regional and international rheumatology collaborations.

Dr. Ghaydaa Aldabie is a Consultant Rheumatologist at Farwaniya Hospital, Kuwait, and Program Director of the Kuwait Adult Rheumatology Fellowship Program. She completed fellowship training at the University of Toronto (Canada) in adult rheumatology, with additional focus on systemic lupus erythematosus and psoriatic arthritis, and is a Subspecialist Affiliate of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.