Dubai, UAE – The International Diabetes Federation five kilometer run/walk took place this morning as 877 participants took part in the event which was held at  Zabeel Park to raise awareness of diabetes and the need to further invest in diabetes care.

The walkathon kicked off in a unique way, as sky divers from the ‘Dubai Sky Dive team’ put together an aerial show for all the participants of the walkathon. The sky divers expressed their solidarity towards the cause of raising community awareness about diabetes.

The official ‘IDF 5K Run/Walk supported by Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and sponsored by Sanofi, was a fitting finale to the prestigious World Diabetes Congress, Dubai 2011, which concludes today

The run/walk started at 7:30am at Zabeel Park where 877 congress delegates and members of the public took to the park’s pedestrian paths and soft-surface jogging tracks to highlight the importance of physical activity in preventing diabetes as well as better managing the condition.

Participants from more than 100 countries in the world took part in the walkathon to raise awareness about diabetes. From Dubai, more than 150 school children also participated in a 2 kilometers run to raise awareness about the disease.

“We are very pleased with the outcome and it is wonderful to see so many people gathered here, united for the same cause to raise awareness about diabetes. I am especially glad to see children taking part in this event as they are our future and the realization of the importance of physical activity should be reinforced from a young age, ‘ said His Excellency Qadhi Saeed Al Murooshid, Director-General of Dubai Health Authority. “At the DHA, we are firmly committed to raising public awareness through such initiatives and we shall continue to support such activities which raise awareness about the importance of physical activity in combating lifestyle diseases such as diabetes.”

“This is the third IDF 5K Run/Walk – the first in the Middle East – and it has been just as successful as the previous two. We would like to thank all the delegates and the people of Dubai who participated today. Regular exercise is key in the prevention and management of diabetes, and when incorporated into a person’s daily lifestyle it can have several health benefits, including diabetes symptom management,” said Luc Hendrickx, IDF Director of Congresses and Governance.

The main goal of the event was to raise awareness about the need for increased physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle, and how regular exercise is vital for the proper management of diabetes and to prevent complications from diabetes symptoms.

“When so many people come together to support a cause, it sends out a strong message. Diabetes, is a growing public health disease that impacts a society as a whole, and in the UAE, where prevalence is high, almost all of us know someone who has been affected by it. Everyone who ran or walked today made a difference to their own lives as well as the lives of people who live with diabetes, and we here at Sanofi are extremely glad that we could be a part of this,” said George Morcos, General Manager of Sanofi Gulf Countries.

The first place male participant to cross the finish line was Dejene Amosha Feysa, 24 year old Ethiopian who finished the 5 kilometers run in 14.02 minutes. His outscored the previous IDF run winner, Bradley Keefe who finished that IDF marathon in Montreal in 2009 in 17.46 minutes.

The first place female participant to cross the finish line was Maebet Belew, 20 year old Ethiopian who finished the run in 15. 18 minutes.
 
All participants received certificates of participation.  For more results and photos, visit http://www.tracs.net/idf5k

Launches UAE-wide campaign to gather support for efforts in preventing the spread of diabetes

November 15, 2011

Novo Nordisk, the healthcare company and world leader in diabetes care, has announced that it is organising a diabetes awareness campaign in the UAE to mark the World Diabetes Day, which was celebrated yesterday (Monday, November 14, 2011). The UAE is a key focus area for Novo Nordisk’s campaign as the country has one of the world’s highest prevalence of diabetes, afflicting 19.5 per cent of people in the 20 to 79 age group as of 2007 and the figure is expected to increase to 21.9 per cent by 2025 according to a report from the UAE Ministry of Health.

Novo Nordisk further revealed that it has raised huge balloons above two hospitals in Dubai to mark the occasion and to highlight the company’s strong commitment to help control the spread of diabetes in the country.

“Novo Nordisk is firmly committed to defeating diabetes and we are confident that by working closely with our partners in the government and private sectors, we can overcome this disease in our lifetime. The UAE is a particularly important focus area for our fight against diabetes because of the high incidence of diabetes in the country. According to statistics from the UAE Ministry of Health, one out of five persons in the country suffers from diabetes and we believe that this figure will continue to rise if we don’t take immediate action. We believe that we can reverse this trend and make a huge difference in helping people overcome this debilitating disease by inspiring hope and delivering real solutions that fit the lifestyle of people in the UAE and across the region,” said Mads Bo Larsen, Vice President for Novo Nordisk’s Africa, Arabian Gulf and India Offices.

To support its fight against diabetes, Novo Nordisk invests in excess of 500 million Euros annually in R&D expenditure. The company also employs more than 30,000 employees worldwide with more than 3,500 people working on R&D in a number of areas, including basic and discovery research, preclinical and clinical development, production and delivery of drug substance, regulatory, quality, licensing, patenting, bioethics and other areas. Novo Nordisk also has a leading position within other areas such as haemostasis management, growth hormone therapy and hormone replacement therapy.

Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk has more than 85 years of experience in diabetes care. The company offers one of the broadest portfolios of diabetes products in the industry, including long- and rapid-acting modern insulins (insulin analogues), a premixed range of both long- and short-acting insulin, and a prandial glucose regulator for type 2 diabetes. Novo Nordisk also offers an extensive range of user-friendly delivery systems for self-administration of insulin.

As part of its long-term commitment to prevent and treat diabetes, Novo Nordisk launched the World Diabetes Foundation (WDF) in 2001 to provide education, healthcare infrastructure, drug procurement and distribution, and ongoing monitoring and mentoring of patients. WDF, which is an independent non-profit organisation, has supported 182 projects to date, impacting 66 million people in 83 developing countries.

Dubai-UAE: 22 September, 2011 – Landmark Group, the region’s leading retail and hospitality conglomerate, today announced it has inked a three-year renewable partnership with International Diabetes Federation (IDF), becoming the organisation’s first retail corporate supporter partner.

Under the agreement, the Landmark Group will extend support to IDF through its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative, Beat Diabetes.

Landmark Group’s partnership with IDF will also position the Group as the ‘Official Partner of World Diabetes Day’.

Since its launch in 2009, Beat Diabetes has conducted several initiatives to spread awareness about diabetes, particularly Type 2. Besides awareness walkathons across six countries, over 35,000 individuals have benefited from free blood glucose tests to date. 

Renuka Jagtiani, Vice-Chairperson, Landmark Group, who personally oversees the group’s CSR initiatives, said: “Beat Diabetes was launched in response to the alarming statistics of the incidence of type 2 diabetes in the region. It is clearly a lifestyle-based condition that has been increasing exponentially in the Middle East. Approximately half of the patients with type 2 diabetes are unaware of their condition, making awareness the first step towards tackling this issue.

“We are confident about impacting the lives of individuals through enabling them to take control of their lives. The acknowledgement by IDF in making us a corporate supporter lends credibility to our effort in this direction.”

IDF is a global entity associated with the Department of Public Information of the United Nations and is in official relations with the World Health Organization. Since its inception in 1950, IDF has brought together 220 national diabetes associations with over two million members in more than 160 countries. Its mission is to promote diabetes care, prevention and a cure worldwide.

Mario Fetz, IDF Director of External Relations, said: “The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has seen an explosion of diabetes in recent times. We estimate that over 26.6 million people are living with diabetes in the region and this figure is expected to double in the next 20 years. We are happy to bring Landmark Group on board as a partner for its capacity to influence communities across the region and experience in launching a successful initiative to raise awareness about diabetes.”

The UAE has the second highest prevalence of diabetes in the world with five Middle East countries among the top 10 worldwide.

Landmark Group’s initiatives under the Beat Diabetes umbrella include ‘Beat Diabetes. Join the Walk’ conducted annually across a few countries where the group has a presence, ‘Beat Diabetes, Take the Test’ that extends free blood glucose testing to people at numerous significant events, ‘Beat Diabetes, Get Active’ which inspires people to exercise regularly and the ‘Beat Diabetes, Eat Healthy’ that has been launched recently to assist the community make informed choices for a healthier diet.

Benefits of active life highlighted ahead of Ramadan tournament

Abu Dhabi: Exercise can help reduce the risk of developing diabetes by 58 per cent, a Consultant Endocrinologist at the Imperial College London Diabetes Centre (ICLDC) said yesterday.

During a meeting to announce the third Ramadan Football Tournament, which the ICLDC launches yearly as an alternative to preventive medicine for potential diabetics, Dr Maha Taysir Barakat, Medical and Research Director at the ICLDC and Consultant Endocrinologist, stressed that dieting without exercise does not fully protect a person from developing diabetes.

“Brisk walking for 30 minutes a day reduces a persons chances of developing diabetes, that’s why it’s terribly important for people to remain active throughout the year.

“I noticed that the minute students leave their schools and universities, and take up office jobs, they give up exercising. That’s why we’re launching this tournament, to encourage physical activity for the rest of society,” said Dr Barakat.

Latest diabetes figures published by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) paint grim global pictures, indicating that people in low and middle-income countries bear the brunt of an epidemic, and that the disease is affecting far more people of working age than previously believed.

Recent IDF figures cited by Dr Maha suggest that 285 million people globally live with diabetes, with five GCC countries featured in the top eight countries in terms of diabetes prevalence. The UAE stands as the second highest diabetes prevalence world-wide, with an estimated 18.7 per cent of the population aged 20 to 79 affected by the condition.

Preventable

“There are approximately 85 to 90 per cent type 2 diabetics across the UAE, and 10 to 15 per cent type 1 diabetics, and diverse number of people unaware that they have diabetes. However the good news is that 80 per cent of type 2 diabetes is preventable with increased physical activity and a healthy diet,” said Dr Maha.

In partnership with Mubadala Healthcare, with the ICLDC’s mission to draw public attention to the importance of regular exercise, the five-night “Play Sports. Live Healthy” football tournament, known as “Diabetes. Knowledge. Action” will take place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) for the first time since its launch.

“It’s ideal to have the tournament indoors this year due to the hot weather. Also the nearby ADNEC Ramadan Festivals will encourage passers-by to come watch the tournament, and ask as many diabetes related questions as they wish,” said Dr Maha.

In addition, Suhail Al Ansari, Associate Director, Mubadala Healthcare and Chairman of ICLDC, announced that the Al Ain Diabetic Centre is due to open its doors to the public by next year.

“Currently 18 to 20 per cent of ICLDC patients commute from Al Ain to Abu Dhabi to receive medical care.For that reason, Mubadala Healthcare has decided to increase their live healthy outreach in a five and a half thousand square metre diabetic centre, to be located next to Tawam Hospital, with 65 medical staff ready to assist up to 150 patient visits each day,” said Al Ansari.

Tournament: event timings

16 participating teams
9:30pm to 12 midnight nightly leagues at the ADNEC (Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre)
August 22nd to 26th - Ramadan Football Tournament at the ADNEC
August 26th - Semi-finals and finals
Treatment of patients

28,000 diabetes patients have received medical treatment from ICLDC since 2006
The ICLDC has reached out to 80,000 patients through its public health awareness campaign since 2006
200 to 300 patients a day - average number of patient visits to the ICLDC Abu Dhabi a day

The CEO-Hospitals Services with the Dubai Health Authority said staffing of hospitals with qualified nurses and doctors still remains a challenge today.

Dubai: Diabetes, the killer disease, would come under control in the country in the future with better knowledge and better understanding by people as to how it attacks and ravages the body, a senior official has said.

In his first interview with an English-language newspaper, Dr Mohammad Al Olama, CEO-Hospitals Services with the Dubai Health Authority, spoke to Gulf News on how Dubai is giving private operators a bigger role in the health care sector.

The CEO said staffing of hospitals with qualified nurses and doctors still remains a challenge today and aggressive recruiting is going on to provide the best manpower for the treatment and care of people.

Following are excerpts from the interview:

Gulf News: Can you give us an idea of the hospital services provided to the people? With the increase in population, people say there are not enough hospital beds.

DR MOHAMMAD AL OLAMA: In the beginning of 2002, government hospitals provided the majority, about 90 per cent, of the [medical] services to Dubai residents. The Department of Health Services then formulated a strategic plan to allow the private sector to take a bigger share of the market.

We are expanding and building new hospitals. But we want the private sector to be a partner in providing services. [The private sector owns 57 per cent of hospitals today and offers 54 per cent of outpatient facilities in Dubai. The aim of the DHA by 2015 is that the private sector will operate 70 per cent of the hospitals in the emirate].

The Dubai Hospital in Deira, which is a multi-speciality one including ENT and Ophthalmology, will start accepting trauma cases. If a worker falls or there is a car accident, the victim has to be brought all the way to Rashid Hospital.

The 550-bed hospital will initially accept non-car accident cases and later, the major trauma cases. [A trauma section, equipped with state-of-the-art lifesaving devices and a specialist trauma team will be set up. Presently the hospital receives 250 to 300 emergency cases every day and this number is expected to rise once the hospital begins taking trauma cases also].

Two projects that will be operational soon are the Hatta Hospital. It has 93 beds and besides emergency services it will have paediatric and obstetric units for Hatta and the surrounding rural areas. We are recruiting doctors at the moment.

The 30-bed Dubai Rehabilitation Centre in Al Safa will take in cases of Parkinson’s disease, MS [multi-scelorosis] and stroke patients. The 30 beds are equally divided for men and women. The Centre is ready, but not yet started.

The existing facilities include the Rashid Hospital, a 620-bed hospital which caters to 20 specialties, and the Trauma Centre. The Trauma Centre is the most sophisticated one in the whole region and covers the Northern Emirates. [A burns unit was also recently opened at Rashid Hospital].

The other government Hospital is Al Wasl [400 beds]. It has paediatric and obstetric gynaecology units. It is well known and many patients prefer to go there. It performs 7,000 deliveries a year.

We have three specialty centres. The Thalassaemia Centre, Dubai Fertlity Centre in the Dubai Healthcare City and Joslin Diabetic Centre at Al Wasl Hospital. The last offers full services from podiatrics to nutrition. There is high demand and the wait list is building up.

Diabetes is a huge problem in this country. Do we need more doctors and nurses to handle this?

About 20 to 30 per cent of the residents of Dubai have diabetes. The treatment is available. But we want people to stop becoming diabetic. It is only possible with health education at schools and work places.

Our lifestyle has changed dramatically. When we were small we would go outside and play soccer or basketball. I look at my children and other children today and they never go out [of their homes]. They sit and play computer games, watch movies and eat junk food. The problem is exacerbated because obesity is the main cause of Type 2 diabetes. It is not just about blood sugar. It [diabetes] hits all the systems of the body: eyes, brain, heart, kidney, nerves, everything. The treatment is a burden and costly for any health department.

Is education helping?

We are trying all we can to stop this chronic disease. We are conducting various campaigns. The DHA is partnering with the private sector to help provide education, training [of nurses and doctors]. There will be an international conference on diabetes in Dubai in 2011.

I will give you an example why we are optimistic. Because of education, I can say new cases of thalaessemia are non-existant among nationals [Emiratis] in Dubai. We conduct pre-marital screening. People are accepting to be screened. They know what happens if they are carriers.

We can be as efficient with diabetes. The first line is education and to know how difficult it is once you are affected. If we are successful, hopefully the rates will go down.

It is said there is not enough staff to run the hospitals, there is a lack of professional doctors or nurses.

The nursing shortage is worldwide. It is said our nurses come here only for transit. They migrate to Canada. It has been going on for years. The doctors, when they become successful and famous get better offers in the country or outside. The challenges are always present, but we have learned to live with it and manage.

We are recruiting from around the world. We have tie ups with recruiting companies in India. We get nurses from the Philippines, junior doctors, also senior doctors from North America and Europe. The difficulty is that if the doctor is successful he doesn’t need to move [here]. The constant challenge is staffing. We are dealing with health issues. We have to get the best. You cannot compromise when dealing with people’s lives.

A nursing council has been set up to help train Emirati women. How easy will it be to recruit Emirati women into the profession?

Presently, only one per cent of nurses are locals [Emiratis]. The DHA sponsors women studying nursing in Sharjah University. We take care of their expenses and even give them a salary while they are studying. We are encouraging nationals to go into this field.

People say the cost of medical treatment in the country is high.

Our hospital charges for almost all services are the lowest. Emergency services are free. I am not talking about life-saving procedures. Even a fractured finger is treated free. There are not many places in the world where such service is offered free. Of course, you pay for the follow-up.

But the health care costs are increasing. Do you know 20 per cent of the GDP of the US is health care cost? I remember this when studying health economics in the US. The health care sector does not follow demand and supply. You increase the supply, the demand will be still high. It’s not like real estate. The solution is a universal insurance scheme. The government is working on that.

Is there is a campaign to cut down traffic accident deaths?

This requires involvement of several government departments, like the DHA, the Roads and Transport Authority, the police. We are trying small broadcasts such as on foggy days. But it needs all departments to work together. It is very tragic that lives are being lost. The locals [Emiratis] are very limited in number and they are dying due to this.

What about quality?

Let me tell you how important quality is. It takes just one unsatisfied customer to keep away 11 potential customers. It needs four satisfied customers to get one potential customer. It is natural to talk about our negative experience. You are paying money and find that the doctor is not good.

All government hospitals are JCI [Joint Commission International, a non-profit organisation in the US that provides accreditation and consultation services] accredited. This is a tool to improve quality and patient safety.

One important programme is the verification of certificates, license and experiences of doctors, nurses and other health care providers. This programme will cover more than 4,500 health care providers. This is to ensure that no doctor is practising in Dubai using fake credentials.

We also promote a proactive risk management programme to prevent medical errors from happening.

“About 20 to 30 per cent of the residents of Dubai have diabetes. The treatment is available. But we want people to stop becoming diabetic. It is only possible with health education at schools and workplaces..” said Dr Mohammad Al Olama, CEO-Hospitals Services with the Dubai Health Authority (DHA).

Latest developments and breakthroughs in medications and techniques in diabetes prevention gain greater attention as diabetes cases may double by 2025

Egypt has figured within the list of countries with the highest incidence of diabetes cases as up to 11 per cent of its population has been diagnosed with the disease, according to a specialised medical study. With current estimates indicating that the number of diabetes cases is set to double by 2025, it is crucial for government and key stakeholders in the healthcare industry to coordinate and collaborate in launching large-scale awareness campaigns and ensuring the highest level of excellence in the delivery of specialised healthcare services. In this context, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) recently organised a press conference at the Grand Hyatt Cairo to highlight the latest developments and breakthroughs related to strategies and medications for diabetes, a chronic disease that has attracted major attention across Egypt and the rest of the MENA region.

The press conference discussed the latest research findings on diabetes, particularly those related to its treatment and medications, including the anti-diabetic drug Rosiglitazone. The conference discussed the results of the RECORD study, a five-year research involving more than 4,000 patients of type 2 diabetes. The study, whose findings were published this year, demonstrated the effectiveness of the Rosiglitazone (”Avandia”) in controlling blood sugar. In addition, the findings pointed out that Avandia has no increased overall cardiovascular risk compared with other traditional diabetes medicines.

Ashraf Mansour, Medical and Regulatory Director at GlaxoSmithKline, Egypt, said, “Organising this conference is in line with our aim to create more awareness about the latest medications and best practices in the treatment of diabetes. We also seek to discuss the potential opportunities and challenges during the different stages of treatment and prevention of diabetes, which is very crucial amid the expected significant increase in diabetes incidence in Egypt and the rest of the region. In this regard, we have invited a group of university professors to this conference to discuss effective strategies and medications used in the treatment of diabetes, such as Avandia, which was recommended by the American Diabetes Association as a first-line therapy for all stages of type 2 diabetes.”

“Scientific researches all over the world have proved the effectiveness of Rosiglitazone (Avandia) in controlling the sugar levels for a long time, which is consistent with the strategies of medical associations that recommend maintaining a constant level of sugar over a long period to prevent health complications arising from diabetes. Hence, we reaffirm our commitment to develop new strategies and techniques to improve the quality of medical care and medicines available for diabetes patients, as well as to cooperate with various private and government agencies to launch awareness campaigns about the nature of diabetes and the ways to reduce the incidence of the disease in Egypt,” added Mansour.

GlaxoSmithKline produces different kinds of medicines for the treatment of a wide range of serious diseases such as diabetes, asthma, viral infections, mental health and digestive problems. The company is also the world’s leading manufacturer of vaccines and has been a prominent figure in developing new methods to treat cancer. The company also conducts special researches on medicines and vaccines for three diseases that are of special concern of the World Health Organisation (WHO), which are AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome), tuberculosis and malaria.

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