SAMI ABDUL RAOUF (DUBAI)
The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) has devised a national plan to combat noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), ultimately reducing their prevalence and alleviating associated fiscal, economic, and health burdens on the country, according to Head of the Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health Department at the MOHAP, Buthaina Bin Belaila.
Noncommunicable diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and chronic respiratory disease, cost the UAE around Dh41 billion every year.
Her remarks were made in press statements on the sidelines of a recent event held to announce achieving the goals of the 100-Day Challenge initiative, which is part of the part of the Government Accelerators Programme.
Bin Belaila explained the MOHAP has prepared a national plan to combat NCDs, which contributed to a decline in the incidence of diabetes, according to the results of surveys the ministry conducts every five years.
She said that the National Policy on Combating Communicable Diseases involves a national plan concerning diabetes, implemented by the ministry in cooperation with health entities focused on four main areas.
The plan focuses on four areas including governance and leadership through establishing a national committee to combat diabetes and launching a national plan to tackle the disease, disease-prevention and awareness-raising to tackle prediabetes as a preliminary initiative, prediabetes surveillance through conducting research to detect potential patients, and strengthening the health system in the country to tackle diabetes and its complications.
Bin Belaila further noted that the most recent survey on the prevalence of diabetes showed that diabetes incidence in the country has reached 11.8%, while the incidence of prediabetes stood at 11.7%, with people between the ages of 47 to 59 and males in general accounting for the majority of patients.
The ministry’s campaign includes diabetes early detection tests, she said, adding that the ministry makes sure to remain in line with global goals and rates in regard to disease prevention and prevalence reduction.
The ministry recently revealed that it has achieved the goals of the 100-Day Challenge, which targeted 5,000 residents for the early detection of type 2 diabetes across the UAE to enhance diabetes prevention and achieve national reduction targets.
According to the Ministry, the campaign conducted over 12,000 early detection tests for type 2 diabetes across the country, which equals more than double the target number. Bin Belaila affirmed that this achievement comes as a first step to implementing an integrated programme for examination, treatment, and follow-up on pre-diabetic patients, which was launched a year ago with support from the Abu Dhabi Department of Health, the Abu Dhabi Public Health Care, the Dubai Health Authority, Emirates Health Services, and Dubai Health.
On her part, Hend Al Awadhi, head of health promotion and education at the DHA, stressed that the authority focuses on increasing the awareness of society on diabetes and the importance of early detection to prevent complications.
“This comes as part of a national project to limit the prevalence of the disease, which is considered a starting point for other projects to highlight healthy lifestyles and the risk of diabetes in particular. The authority is also working on increasing its target population in the coming stages, using social media platforms, virtual lectures, health publications, and field campaigns,” she said.