(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Doha: Qatar's Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), Sidra Medicine and Qatar Diabetes Association (QDA), are joining the international community to observe the World Diabetes Day 2021 under the theme Access to Diabetes Care.
World Diabetes Day (WDD) is an International Day of Awareness introduced by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and WHO in 1991 to focus attention on the global epidemic of diabetes.
Qatar's Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), Sidra Medicine and Qatar Diabetes Association (QDA), organize throughout the month of November a host of activities to raise awareness about diabetes.
Qatar (with a 17% diabetes prevalence) recognised early, the urgent need for a national diabetes strategy to oversee implementation and facilitate interaction and collaboration between all healthcare delivery organisations involved in diabetes; and to engage all relevant governmental and non-governmental entities or organizations in the prevention of diabetes and improving access to diabetes care.
Through the efforts of the MoPH and its partners, several important achievements have been made under the Qatar National Diabetes Strategy, 2016-2022.
Professor Abdul Badi Abou Samra, Co-Chair of the National Diabetes Committee and Director of Qatar Metabolic Institute (QMI) highlighted“A significant example is the screening for diabetes in pregnancy program through which 89% of women are screened Annually, within the first three months of their pregnancy, and provided access to diabetes care services at PHCC or HMC.
"This is important, as women with gestational diabetes and their babies are at an increased risk of complications during pregnancy and at delivery.
"Further, these women and possibly their children are also at increased risk of type 2 diabetes in the future.”
Dr. Kholoud Al Mutawa, Senior Consultant Public Health, Head of the Non-Communicable Diseases section at MoPH, said:“Until recently, Type 2 diabetes was seen mostly in adults, but it is now also occurring increasingly in children most likely because of childhood obesity.
"MoPH and its partner organizations are currently working on a National Strategy & Action Plan for diabetes and obesity among children. The Action plan will focus on defined policies, strategies and interventions for addressing health promotion, disease prevention and improved access to the right care among this important priority population.”
Dr. Samya Al Abdulla, Senior Consultant Family Physician and Executive Director of Operations, PHCC, highlighted the integral role of primary care in expanding access to care through screening and by extending diabetes services and ensuring that evidence-based preventive and chronic care needs are met.“Improving both care and access for the people living with diabetes in Qatar requires that primary care implements new models about where and when diabetic patients access primary care, who they see, and when to refer to secondary and tertiary care.”
Dr. Mahmoud Ali Zirie, Senior Consultant, Head of Endocrinology and Director of the National Diabetes Centre at HMC explained that“the National Diabetes Centres at Hamad General Hospital (HGH), Al Wakra Hospital (AWH) and Women's Wellness and Research Center (WWRC) offer specialiased services using multidisciplinary team of health professionals dedicated to the provision of clinical, nutritional and educational services for people with diabetes at a single location to enhance access to multidisciplinary care, in a single visit.”
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