The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention has signed a MoU with AstraZeneca Gulf for mutual co-operation in supporting and educating patients with diabetes and providing them with necessary tools to curb the disease.

As per the agreement, both parties will work towards enhancing the medical capabilities of healthcare professionals to boost the health status of diabetic patients through integrated educational initiatives for both doctors and patients, remarked Dr Hussein Abdul Rahman Al Rand, the assistant undersecretary for the Health Centers and Clinics, UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, after signing the deal with Samer Al Hallaq, the director of AstraZeneca Gulf.

In addition, they will also look to expand the capabilities of diabetes care teams, including nurses, dietitians and pharmacists to create a database for diabetics based on field studies within the framework of a supportive national policy, he stated.

The MoU was signed on the sidelines of the regular meeting of the National Committee for Combating Diabetes at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dubai Festival City.

Dr Al Rand said the agreement reinforced the ministry’s strategic partnership with the global medical companies to develop community service in line with its goals to improve the curative and preventive services related to chronic diseases in the UAE and as per international standards.

This comes in co-operation with the state health authorities and Emirates Diabetes Society to reduce the spread of the disease which would eventually contribute in lowering diabetes in the country from current 19.3 per cent to 16.28 per cent the year 2021 complementing UAE Vision 2021, he added.

The official highlighted the ministry’s efforts in combating diabetes by creating specialised diabetes clinics and launching national initiatives such as raising awareness on healthy lifestyles and building healthy children.

The outreach program with AstraZeneca Gulf will support the Ministry’s initiatives, including the three elements that supporting diabetic patients and health care providers and training specialised teams in the healthcare sector, and the establishment of a national database for patients with diabetes that contributes to extrapolate the plans for health strategy and solutions, supporting the ministry in the national index of the proportion of people with diabetes, as well as the prevalence of obesity, high levels of lipids to its close relationship with diabetes, he added.

AstraZeneca said it will provide reports every three months on the findings on the progress made in the program. During the second phase, it will provide training through the graduate diploma in diabetes by selecting a few healthcare professionals in the UAE.

"Our interest in developing a partnership with the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention for the provision of effective treatments for diabetic patients is based on our experience in the field. It is driven by our desire to improve the lives of people with diabetes in the UAE," noted Al Hallaq.
 
The program includes the formation of groups of patients, punctuated group discussions, exchange of experiences on the awareness of members of the group with diabetes, expected barriers in the area of care, and relationships with health care providers, that includes physicians, pharmacists and nurses with an aim to get a better understanding of the needs and gaps in the care of diabetic patients and how to manage their illness, he added.-TradeArabia News Service