AJMAN:  With many cases of diabetes among young school students in the UAE, the ways of dealing with diabetic students and changing people’s perception about the disease was recently stressed during a training session held by the Ajman Medical District under the slogan “Learn about diabetes and help me.”

The session was headed by Hamad Taryam Al Shamsi, director of Ajman Medical district, who highlighted many topics related to diabetic students.

Al Shamsi noted that school canteens should only offer healthy meals to students and stop selling unhealthy food that can lead to obesity among students.

“Schools must have devices to check blood sugar and officials must be trained on the ways of giving diabetes injection in case of emergency.

“The UAE is offering the best level of medical services and more attention should be given to diabetic students. They should be given priority while offering them special services at schools.”

Aysha Al Seeri, director of the Nutrition and Health Department at the Ministry of Health, said that the department conducts awareness campaigns at schools that aim at increasing students’ awareness about obesity and diabetes.

“We have also launched an electronic file to list down the names and number of diabetic students at various schools while setting international specifications and standards for school canteens and their food supplying companies to ensure they are only offering healthy foods.”

Magda Zaki, incharge of the diabetes clinic at Mushairaf Health Centre, said that she noticed that some school teachers have wrong perceptions and treat diabetic children differently and prevent them from sports activities.

“Schools administration and teachers must be aware of the disease’s complications and should allow the diabetic students to go to toilet if they want.

“They should not be isolated during the classes. Teachers and bus conductors must be trained about the ways of giving diabetes injection,” She explained.

Fatma Khalaf, an employee at the Ajman Medical District, and mother of a girl afflicted with diabetes narrated her experience about the disease and the challenges she was facing in the society.

“My daughter was diagnosed with the diabetes at the age of two and now she is a university student.

“I faced a lot of hardships during her school years as many teachers did not understand the nature of the disease and the ways of dealing with it.