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Dubai Launches Three-year Drive in Schools to Stem Diabetes Cases

DUBAI - To stem the projected increase of diabetes in the UAE, the Dubai Health Authority has launched a three-year-long comprehensive programme targeting the new generation.

The multi-tiered awareness programme titled ‘The Right Beginning’ will be based on the outcomes of research and training projects in schools, shopping malls as well as among healthcare providers, teachers and parents.

Experts at the launch of the programme on Wednesday estimated that 35 per cent of the UAE population was at the risk of becoming diabetic in another 10 years.

“To stabilise the trend, we are focusing more on children and schools since they are an easy target,” said Dr Ali Marzooqi, Director of Health and Safety at the authority.

“It is difficult to bring (about) changes in the lifestyle of adults.”

Citing a projection report for the GCC region, experts said that $5 billion was expected to be spent on treatment of diabetes by 2020.

“Eighty per cent of our health spending is on managing complications related directly or indirectly to diabetes, including cardiac conditions,” said Qadhi Saeed Al Murooshid, Director-General of the authority.

The programme, being held in cooperation with Sanofi Aventis Pharmaceuticals, will promote a healthier lifestyle among schoolchildren through the education system.

“We will implement new measures in schools such as removing vending machines selling junk food,” said Al Murooshid. “It is difficult to control children from demanding but we can prevent them from accessing foodstuff that can lead to an increase in the condition,” he said.

The yearlong pilot phase of the project will commence next month, targeting five schools each from the public and private sectors. It will be expanded later. Children aged 8-15 years will be assessed for their knowledge on the disease and will also undergo physical check-ups to identify emerging risk factors in each child.

“The outcome of this research activity will help us design interventional methods that will later be translated into law,” explained Dr Ziad Najjar, Public Health and Health Promotion Consultant at DHA.

He, however, said diabetes management was only a part of a five-year strategy targeting cardiovascular diseases that would also include management of hypertension, tobacco control, obesity, and cholesterol levels.

Existing rules and regulations governing school canteens, food labelling and physical activity requirements will also be strictly implemented in the near future.

Training of primary healthcare professionals and patient support programmes through dialogue will also be implemented. “We are targeting the rural population through the PHCs,” said Al Murooshid.

Besides, a unified diabetes management concept and protocol system for all hospitals and PHCs are also being worked on.

Diabetes Mellitus (type 2) is currently one of the most prevalent diseases in the UAE. It is estimated that the UAE has the second highest prevalence of the condition in the world with a staggering 25 per cent UAE nationals affected.

asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com