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To support World Diabetes Day, the Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC), managed by Cleveland Clinic, is organising an entire week of activities to raise awareness about the deadly disease and to encourage people to adopt healthier lifestyles.
The campaign will run from 9th November to 14th November and will feature a range of activities, including public screening and awareness, staff education, a fitness day and an educational and fun day for children in the diabetes centre.
Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Diabetes is among the leading causes of kidney failure and increases the risk of heart disease and strokes, with somebody dying every 10 seconds from diabetes-related conditions, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). The UAE has a diabetes rate of 19 percent, among the highest in the world, according to the WHO and the International Diabetes Foundation.
“We are seeing unfortunately greater appetite for fast and processed foods, while lifestyle habits are becoming increasingly sedentary – which is helping diabetes levels to skyrocket,” said Dr. Mahmoud Benbarka, Division Head of Endocrinology at the hospital and American Board certified in Internal Medicine and Endocrinology and Metabolism. “As we become unwanted world leaders in diabetes prevalence, education programmes about the effect of this deadly disease and about how to prevent it are becoming vital to ensure our nation’s health is safeguarded.”
Lifestyle measures including eating a healthy diet and increasing daily physical activities have been proven to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes, which affects 90 percent of diabetes sufferers around the world, according to the WHO.
SKMC’s programme of events is focused on education about the importance of keeping active and eating well, including a healthy breakfast served in the cafeteria every day, a walkathon on the first day as well as fitness classes.
SKMC is also focusing heavily on awareness and screening for diabetes, with public screening and awareness being provided throughout the hospital, including surgical, medical pavilions and out patients speciality clinics building, on 10 Nov, staff education being conducted on 11 Nov and risk awareness messages being spread across the week for staff.
Early diagnosis can be accomplished through relatively inexpensive blood testing. Treatment of diabetes involves lowering blood glucose and the levels of other known risk factors that damage blood vessels. Cessation of tobacco use is also important to avoid complications.
“By highlighting the importance of screening for and taking preventative action against diabetes, SKMC is helping to lead the fight against the epidemic we are seeing here in the UAE,” said Dr. Jamal El Jubeh, Acting Chair of Paediatrics and American Board certified in Paediatrics and Paediatric Endocrinology. “By making everybody aware of what they need to do to prevent diabetes we can help to save lives and alleviate suffering.”
SKMC, managed by Cleveland Clinic, is part of the SEHA HealthSystem and owned and operated by Abu Dhabi Health Services Company PJSC (SEHA), which is responsible for the curative activities of all the public hospitals and clinics in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
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