Diabetes screening units at major health centres soon

Diabetes screening centres will be set up at all the major healthcare facilities in the country soon, according to Dr Mohammed al Thani, director of public health at Supreme Council of Health (SCH). He said this on Sunday at a press conference organised by Maersk Oil Qatar with its partners on its project ‘Action on Diabetes’. Maersk Oil has launched the campaign to raise awareness about diabetes during the Holy Month of Ramadan.

Dr Abdullah al Hamaq, executive director of Qatar Diabetes Association, Faisal al Mdhehki from Maersk Oil Qatar and Hamad al Madhaki from Primary Healthcare Corporation also attended the press conference. The campaign aims at lifestyle changes.

During the briefing, representatives of the organisations involved in the campaign highlighted that the campaign would focus on healthy fasting, the need to screen for diabetes as well as smoking as a major risk factors for people with diabetes. Dr al Thani, said that diabetes was a major health issue worldwide and that the SCH was proud to work with its partners in the drive against the disease.

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He said: “What we want to achieve since Action on Diabetes was launched last year is to develop a programme that works in Qatar not only employing the best international knowledge and experience but also understanding how Qatar is different. This four-week initiative helps deliver on this and looks at informing and educating diabetics on how to best manage their situation during the holy month.”

Mdhehki, head of social investment at Maersk Oil Qatar, said: “The initiative looks at issues such as healthy fasting for diabetics, smoking as a major health risk for people with diabetes and using the period to quit smoking for good, the importance of screening as well as other issues aimed at raising awareness and follow-up action among the people.” There will also be a number of other events in the coming months to spread awareness on diabetes. A competition involving 22 teams from various organisations in Qatar will be held at Zikreet in November. The details and the format of the competition will soon be made available. There will also be an awareness campaign in media as well as promotion of sports for more active and healthy living among the young generation.

There will also be a peerreviewed diabetes briefing book that documents the status of diabetes in Qatar, capturing a number of good-practice initiatives and identifying recommendations for the future, a national diabetes registry solution, nurse training and accreditation courses in diabetes care and many more.

Action on Diabetes was launched in November 2011 as a partnership among the Supreme Council of Health, Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar Diabetes Association, Maersk Oil, and world leader in diabetes care Novo Nordisk. It aims to help deliver the vision of a healthy and prosperous Qatar, and support the authorities in reducing the incidence of diabetes.

source: Al Arab