Officials and experts of the national strategy for combating diabetes during the workshops.
The Supreme Council of Health (SCH) recently organised two workshops to prepare the national strategy to combat diabetes in Qatar with the participation of specialists in diabetes care and many internationally renowned experts in diabetes.
Sheikha Dr al-Anoud bint Mohamed al-Thani, SCH director of health protection and non-communicable diseases, co-chairman of Diabetes National Committee, pointed out that the national strategy for combating diabetes would provide healthcare services to the patients and medical for those vulnerable to the disease. She said providing good and quality health services to the diabetics, decreases their chances of having complications. Besides, the strategy aims at conducting the necessary studies to ease the consequences on both the patient and society.
Professor Abdulbadi Abu Samra, Head of Internal Medicine and Director of Diabetes and Obesity Metabolism at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), said that the main priorities of the national strategy for combating diabetes include adopting a work plan to offer the diabetics excellent services at the various health centres around the country.
In addition, sophisticated modern technology should be used in treatment and diagnosis.
The workshops were attended by Professor Desmond Jonston, head of Endocrinology and Diabetes Department, Medicine College, Imperial University, London, Prof Steven, director, Coligiuri, Boden Institut, Sydney University and Prof David Nathan, director of the General Clinical Research Centre and of the Diabetes Centre at Massachusetts General Hospital, USA.
Recently two studies have been done under the supervision of SCH to assess the current status of diabetes in Qatar. Data was collected from 300 diabetics in the first study and in the second study, data was collected from 501 non-diabetics of different nationalities. The outcomes of both studies indicate that 63% have never tested the blood glucose level before and 55% never thought about conducting such test. More than half the participants have very limited knowledge on diabetes and only 25% have talked about diabetes with a health worker.
The Diabetes National Committee was established in 2013 and it includes physicians and experts from health and academic institutions in Qatar.
Meanwhile, SCH is set to organise a workshop to train physicians on the basic services of occupational and environmental health and safety in co-operation with the World Health Organisation regional office for the Middle East.
The workshop is scheduled for May 24- 28.
