Staff Reporter

THE Qatar Diabetes Association (QDA), under the patronage of Princess Haya bint al-Hussein, wife of Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, vice-president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, will host the 2008 Arab Children’s Health Congress from March 24-27.
The congress, a joint venture between Qatar and the UAE, will focus on obesity and nutrition, according to Wafaa Hilmi Ayesh, head of clinical nutrition and diabetics department, Rashid Hospital, Dubai.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, she said that the year’s theme is ‘healthy body, healthy mind’.
She said that participants at the congress will be drawn from across the Arab-speaking countries including the GCC.
“The congress will address key issues in nutrition and its importance to human health,” she said.
Present at the press conference was the 26-year-old ACHC 2007 ambassador Habiba Malik al-Tawqi, who presented a recommendation on tackling diabetes from last year’s congress to the QDA chairman.
She was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of two and has lost her two limbs to the disease.
Al-Tawqi will soon launch her book titled, Diamond Life.
According to the recommendation, all items of the United Nations’ resolution on diabetes must be implemented at the government, private and NGO levels.
It added that a strategy to prevent the disease and enhance the health of diabetic children should be developed at three levels.
Media organisations should study and negotiate the facilitation of air time or advertising space at low or no-cost for the purpose of creating health awareness, according to the recommendation.
The recommendation stated further that the schools and its personnel should be strengthen in capacities in order to develop and implement individual health care plan for diabetic children, including establishing emergency healthcare centers in schools.
Welcoming the ACHC ambassador on behalf of the manager of board of trustees of QDA Dr Saad al-Kaabi, QDA chairman Dr Abdullah al-Hamaq reiterated the active role of the association, through different programmes, in increasing awareness and health education at all levels of the society about diabetes and the importance of fighting it.
“This role stems out of the vision and targets of the QDA to be the pioneer in the field of spreading awareness among the diabetics to inform them about the danger, consequences, treatment and protection from the disease,” he said.
He added that the association is also ready to lead advance researches, which will provide right information for the diabetics and their family
members.