UAE hospitals to focus on early detection of diabetes

A 365-day public-private partnership (PPP) country-wide campaign, inspired by the UAE Government Accelerator Programme of the Prime Minister’s Office, has proved that pre-diabetes could be prevented from worsening.

Thus, the holistic approach implemented to diminish this metabolic syndrome would now be part of the services within all healthcare facilities nationwide.

Lead person of the National Campaign for the Early Detection of Diabetes, Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHaP)-Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health Department head Dr Buthaina Bin Belaila, told reporters on Thursday evening from the Zabeel Park in Dubai: “As we have mentioned in our recommendations tonight, this unique programme which has been proven successful for one year must be sustained by all healthcare facilities.”

“For one year, we have motivated, helped and engaged people from 18 years old and above who are under the responsibility of our department, alongside all healthcare personnel to fight diabetes. Now, all healthcare facilities must integrate this service so that it would be sustained forever,” she added.

“As for the students, we would be collaborating with all pertinent agencies to adopt and include this service,” Belaila added.

She was pursued as according to the results of the campaign that had served 150,624 people, representative of the multi-ethnic UAE, 24 per cent of the 41,120 diagnosed pre-diabetics or 9,869 are between the ages of 18 and 35.

“This is alarming. We also have to investigate the youth who are at high-risk,” she said, reiterating the second recommendation – “prioritisation of the youth population with high-risk” – of the multi-party campaign stakeholders that also included, aside from the Prime Minister’s Office, the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre, Emirates Health Services, Dubai Health, and the German pharmaceutical firm Merck Gulf. On the high-risk factors, Belaila pointed out that these are obesity, family history and sedentary lifestyle.

“Our aim is to prevent diabetes. We followed them for three months and six months. As you see, as with the physical exercises and changes in diet, 37.5 per cent (15,420 of the 41,120 pre-diabetics) reverted back to normal which means that we could prevent diabetes.”

As per Belaila’s presentation covering 150,624 individuals, 66.20 per cent (99,714) were neither pre-diabetic nor diabetic; 27.30 per cent (41,120) were pre-diabetics; and, 6.50 per cent (9,791) were diabetics. Of the pre-diabetics, 3,701 (nine per cent) were over age 60; 27,551 (67 per cent) were between the ages of 36 and 60; 9,869 (24 per cent) were between the ages of 18 and 35; 20,355 (49.5 per cent) are women while 20,766 (50.5 per cent) are men; 14,803 (36 per cent) were obese and 26,317 (64 per cent) were not obese. Following up after three months on the 41,120 pre-diabetics, 1,521 (3.7 per cent) became diabetics; 26,564 (64.6 per cent) remained in their condition; and 13,035 (31.7) came out of the woods. After six months, 1,439 (3.5 per cent) became diabetics; 24,261 (59 per cent) remained in their condition; and 15,420 (37 per cent) came out of the woods.

The two other recommendations to sustain the success of the pioneering pre-diabetes screening programme are the assurance of a robust data collection system for follow-up and the adoption of a tailored lifestyle modification programme to accommodate individual needs.

MoHaP-Health Regulation Sector assistant undersecretary Dr Hussain Amin Al Amiri who graced the event in conjunction with the November 14 “World Diabetes Day” under the theme “Breaking Barriers, Bridging Gaps” stressed that the 150,624 and the accomplishment of helping people overcome pre-diabetes “are not just numbers but a testimony and a clear affirmation of the commitment” to the National Campaign for the Early Detection of Diabetes.

Merck Gulf Cluster-Government & Public Affairs/Market Access/Pricing/Tenders and Communications director Sarrah Barakat emphasised the major role of PPPs in addressing concerns.

“The stakeholders were committed to give free-of-charge screenings, blood tests, consultations and lifestyle advice whenever appropriate. There were referrals for the initiation of treatment if they were diabetic. The follow-ups were to ensure that the patients do not go back to their old habits. We were guided by international and UAE guidelines,” he said.