AXA Insurance Gulf has teamed up with retail giant Carrefour and Dubai-based KIMS Medical Centre to launch a massive Diabetes awareness campaign in the UAE under the theme “Better Care about People.”

The campaign, which kicked off on November 14, coincides with the World Diabetes day and will run till December 7 across the UAE. It is aimed at raising awareness about diabetes and its seriousness among the UAE population.

The drive aims to provide free glucose screening to over 12,000 people in Dubai & Sharjah between Nov 22 & Dec 7, said the three companies involved in the campaign.

The screening spots are Carrefour in Deira City Centre on [November 22 and 23], Mall of the Emirates [November 29, 30], Mirdif City Centre [November 29, 30], Sharjah City Centre [December 6, 7] and in AXA Shops in Dubai Mall on [November 22, 23], Dubai Internet City [November 26, 27], Wafi branch [December 3, 4], Sahara Mall in Sharjah [December 6, 7].

The campaign will encompass free blood glucose tests for public under the supervision of authorized doctors and nurses from KIMS Medical Centre across the UAE.

Globally, over 366 million people suffered from diabetes in 2011, and by 2030, experts estimate over 552 million would be diagnosed by the illness. A vast majority of people with diabetes are between 40 to 59 years of age, with over 183 million [50 per cent] unaware that they suffer from the condition.

The Mena region has seen an explosion of diabetes in recent times and it is estimated 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, said the trio which has launched the initiative as part of its corporate responsibility strategy.

Jérôme Droesch, the CEO of AXA Insurance Gulf, said: "The statistics on the incidence of diabetes in the region is high and it is on the rise. Based on the international diabetes federation, nearly half of the patients with diabetes are unaware of their condition and hence we, at AXA, are committed to playing a positive role in our society and supporting the communities in which we operate."

Thanking Carrefour and KIMS for the initiative, Droesch said: "This campaign is targeted at influencing communities through public awareness, education and supporting the UAE Ministry of Health’s strategic objectives to promote public health standards."

Kumaresh Babu, the chief operating officer of KIMS Medical Centre, said: “The campaign fits perfectly in our overall strategy of diagnosis and helping people monitor their overall health conditions. A simple screening can help detect the blood glucose level in the body. Appropriate treatment can be started to maintain better quality of life if detected in time to avoid initial complications."

"Lack of awareness about diabetes, can lead to complications such as blindness, amputation and kidney failure. Our effort is to fight this disease with AXA, Carrefour and the Ministry of Health and we are happy to join hands in such noble initiative," he added.-TradeArabia News Service