Doha, November 21 (QNA) - The Minister of Public Health, HE Abdullah bin Khalid Al Qahtani, on Saturday launched Qatar National Diabetes Strategy for the next seven years under the slogan of "Preventing Diabetes Together." HE Al Qahtani in a press conference held on the occasion, said that the strategy addresses one of the most important health challenges, which is the high prevalence of diabetes among the population and its various consequences, stressing that the strategy aims to prevent further spread of the disease, and to achieve a significant improvement in the lives of people who suffer from diabetes on the basis of the plan laid down in this framework and the commitment to develop the right tools and effective solutions to what has become a national issue.

    The Minister added that the Qatar National Vision 2030 is committed to developing the health care system in a holistic manner to cover and address all health problems in different types with the aim of achieving an integrated health care while continuing the expansion and improvement of services.

    In this context, an integrated strategy has been prepared to address diabetes, which is a global challenge amounting to 8% of the world's population and estimated to be 10% among adults in the Middle East and North Africa Region, HE Al Qahtani said, adding that 17% of Qatari adults suffer from diabetes.

Accordingly, if the diabetes is not dealt with by the most optimal approach, it will not cease here and only continue to rise; for it is expected that by 2045 the number of people suffering from diabetes in the State of Qatar will have doubled, the Minister explained, expressing confidence that the National Diabetes Strategy will be a powerful tool for protecting the health of the community, and reduce the impact of diabetes on the welfare and lives of citizens and residents while maintaining the economic capacity through the implementation of the recommendations and programs of this seven-year strategy.

There are a series of important steps that need to be accomplished over the next seven years, beginning from the initial implementation of the national diabetes strategy, in order to reduce the effects of diabetes on the health of citizens and residents alike in the State of Qatar, the Health Minister said.

Some of these steps will take place over the next year, 2016, and include taking the necessary action to implement a special program for the awareness and prevention of diabetes and a scientific research agenda, HE Al Qahtani explained.

This will be followed by developing and providing continuous education for healthcare personnel providing diabetes care by 2017, which will mark a cornerstone to support the strategy’s implementation over the following years that will include the launching of a national screening and early detection program for all adults in the State of Qatar by 2018, added the Minister. 

There are a series of important steps that need to be accomplished over the next seven years, beginning from the initial implementation of the national diabetes strategy, in order to reduce the effects of diabetes on the health of citizens and residents alike in the State of Qatar. 

Some of these steps will take place over the next year, 2016, and include taking the necessary action to implement a special program for the awareness and prevention of diabetes and a scientific research agenda. 

This will be followed by developing and providing continuous education for healthcare personnel providing diabetes care by 2017, which will mark a cornerstone to support the strategy’s implementation over the following years that will include the launching of a national screening and early detection program for all adults in the State of Qatar by 2018; in addition to, educating and training all healthcare workers dealing with diabetes cases by 2019. With that the complete implementation of all pillars of the strategy will be completed by 2020. Finally, a program will be initiated for evaluating the strategy and its objectives. 

The strategic goals of Qatar’s National Diabetes Strategy are to:increase public awareness and improve patient empowerment; prevent occurrence and delay disease progression; deliver a high quality of diabetes care and develop an information technology and diabetes research program. 

The expected outcomes of the strategy to be achieved by 2020 are: target adult population will be screened for diabetes and referred to the appropriate track from 2018–2020; all healthcare professionals will receive continuing education in diabetes care by 2019 and all screened at-risk population and patients will be offered an annual health plan by 2020. 

The long-term outcome is to decrease the incidence of diabetes and complications for better health and quality of life by 2022. 

Commenting on the national diabetes strategy, Dr. Faleh Mohamed Hussain, Assistant Secretary General for Policy Affairs at SCH said the social health insurance scheme is a national initiative that aims to establish a continuous and integrated evaluation system for healthcare costs by measuring the extent of use of services, the costs associated with the accessed services, and the quality of care provided. 

As such, the health insurance scheme is an urgent mechanism needed to contain healthcare expenditures, reduce the burden on the public health sector, and allow the private sector to expand in its provision of health services and increase the country’s capacity to meet health demands, he added. 

On his part, Sheikh Dr Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, the director of Public Health Department at SCH National Health Strategy 2011 – 2016 was developed based on seven main goals. The third goal of this strategy is about preventive healthcare, according to which the National Public Health Strategy 2017 – 2022 is being prepared. One of the main priorities of this strategy is combatting chronic, non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, along with their associated risk factors, including improper nutrition, insufficient physical activity, and tobacco use. 

Grounded on this relation, there is full coordination between the National Public Health Strategy’s and the National Diabetes Strategy’s teams in order to ensure the alignment of objectives between the two, especially concerning the National Diabetes Strategy objectives related to prevention and health promotion, as well as, the training program for public health department staff and other participants involved in the implementation of the National Diabetes Strategy, he added. 

  On her part, Dr. Hanan Al Kuwari, Managing Director at Hamad Medical Corporation said the Hamad Medical Corporation is by all means an essential part of the healthcare model that will be implemented by the National Diabetes Strategy. 

As such, the entire information technology infrastructure will be supplied with the necessary enhancements; accordingly, all health service providers will be trained on the use of the developed information system and the application of the guidelines specific to the care of diabetics, she added. 

This all feeds into our aim of providing high-quality healthcare services beginning from the time of initial diagnosis with the disease by a specialized and comprehensive healthcare team in order to avoid the occurrence of further complications, she explained.  

These services will be provided via the diabetes care centers and home care services available at all hospitals under the auspices of Hamad Medical Corporation. 

Hamad Medical Corporation will also provide and promote health education and awareness programs that help to empower diabetics and their families to take control of the disease and prevent the development of further complications, Dr Al Kuwari said. 

Qatar’s National Health Strategy was developed in accordance to the country’s health priorities and main burdens of disease. In 2012, health indicators revealed that 17% of Qatari adults suffer from diabetes. Moreover, the disease has been the fourth leading cause of death in Qatar for each of the past five years. 

In 2014, Hamad Medical Corporation in collaboration with the Qatar Diabetes Association published a study that estimated the number of new cases of Type I Diabetes is expected to increase by 25% from 2015 until 2020. 

Yet another scientific study carried out and published in 2011 by researchers in Qatar presented evidence that the prevalence of gestational diabetes is 19% amongst Qatari women and 14% amongst non-Qatari women, and these rates are expected to be increased in the coming years. 

 The impact of the continued rise in the disease will not be restricted to the lives of diabetic patients and their families, but will expand to include a 30% increase in the cost of health services in the country by 2020. (END)