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28 March 2024

UAE to mark World Diabetes Day with new health campaign

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By Staff

This week The Ministry of Health and Prevention, represented by the Ministry’s Department of Education and Promotion, announced the launch of an awareness campaign in conjunction with World Diabetes Day.

This campaign for members of the UAE community included medical check-ups such as blood glucose and blood pressure testing, body mass index measurement and foot examinations in addition to free counselling about diabetes and the importance of healthy nutrition and physical activity.

The testing and counselling took place in collaboration with other Ministry departments and healthcare facilities at the Dubai Festival city, shopping malls, parks, health centres and walkways throughout the Emirates.

The Ministry also held another event in Al Majaz Waterfront in the Emirate of Sharjah.

During this event, the Ministry also launched the second phase of the ‘Diabetes Circle of Care’ initiative in collaboration with the Emirates Diabetes Society and as part of the memorandum of understanding signed with the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca Gulf.

The goal of this program is to help patients at risk of or living with type 2 diabetes and to promote overall community health within the UAE.

The second phase of the ‘Diabetes Circle of Care’ initiative offers educational materials about diabetes for UAE nationals and residents living with or at risk of type 2 diabetes, in particular those who need further support to better understand the disease and its management.

The initial launch of the "Diabetes Care of Circle" initiative was in June with the first phase focused on providing support for UAE nationals with diabetes during the holy month of Ramadan.

His Excellency Dr. Hussein Al Rand Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health Assistant sector health centres and clinics said:

“The Celebration of World Diabetes Day by the Ministry aims to promote health awareness and highlight the importance of early diagnosis of diabetes in order to provide treatment and avoid chronic complications. It is also about raising awareness regarding the importance of adopting healthy lifestyles to reduce the prevalence of chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity. This is a significant part of the ministry's strategy together with providing comprehensive, quality and sustainable care services in accordance with local policies, legislation and through effective programs and partnerships locally and internationally”

His Excellency also said the ‘Diabetes Circle of Care’ initiative in partnership with the Emirates Diabetes Society and AstraZeneca Gulf is an important platform to help the Ministry support patients with type 2 diabetes and unite the efforts of the healthcare community to achieve the National health agenda goal to reduce the prevalence of diabetes from 19.3 percent in 2015 to 16.28 percent by 2021 in line with the UAE 2021 Vision2.

“The private sector plays an important role in providing health care to the community and we hope to see more involvement from this sector to help expand and extend the reach of the Diabetes Circle of Care program to ensure that all UAE residents at risk or with type 2 diabetes are able to receive the help and resources they need.”

Dr. Abdul Razzak Al Madani, President of the Emirates Diabetes Society said:

“We need to continue to support health education initiatives about type 2 diabetes for doctors, patients and people at risk for the disease, which represents a significant burden both socially and economically. We believe that this initiative will contribute to helping patients manage their disease through customized educational tools that consider ethnicity and culture.”

During the event, educational materials from the ‘Diabetes Circle of Care’ initiative were made available to health care providers to give to their patients, including a menu for diabetic patients who prefer traditional Indian cuisine and the authentic kitchen of the UAE in addition to booklets and a 3D educational video on diabetes  self-management.

Also available for healthcare professionals were posters with tips for managing diabetes that they can display in their offices and use with patients.

Samer Al Hallaq Area Vice President of AstraZeneca Middle East reinforced the commitment of AstraZeneca Gulf to help patients with type 2 diabetes. Mr. Al Hallaq said:

"We are delighted to be launching the second phase of ‘Diabetes Circle of Care’ initiative in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Prevention and Emirates Diabetes Society to help UAE residents through educational materials, activities and disease awareness campaigns. We will also continue working through these partnerships to expand the capabilities of diabetes care teams, including nurses, nutritionists and pharmacists who are critical in helping patients with or at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.”