ID :
153264
Mon, 12/13/2010 - 16:24
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https://oananews.org//node/153264
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UAE calls MENA countries to join forces against diabetes
Abu Dhabi, Dec 13, 2010 (WAM)- UAE Health Minister Dr. Hanif Hassan yesterday called on countries of the Middle East and North Africa Region (MENA) to pool their efforts and work together to reverse the rising diabetes tide and its serious implications if they want to develop their economies, secure healthy lifestyle to their peoples and increase their productivity.
The UAE minister told the opening session of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Diabetes Leadership Forum in Dubai that :''there is an urgency for short, medium and long term strategic prevention, control and education plans.
''We need to adopt clear-cut and well-studied, applicable plans to fight diabetes, '' he said.
Citing world statistics, the minister said yesterday over 150 million people are suffering from diabetes worldwide and the figure is projected to go up if the disease is not given the top priority in health plans.
He warned that the disease is forecast to deplete 13 per cent of MENA healthcare budgets by 2025.
He demanded all forces of the community to raise their compliance with disease control plans. ''Everybody should do whatever he could to stop the disease,' he stressed.
''The Ministry of Health has earlier recognised the importance of rolling back diabetes and has drawn up a long-term strategy to reduce its prevalence in the UAE,'' he explained.
The forum was opened in Dubai yesterday with the participation of over 600 experts representing 22 countries in the region, international governmental organisations and NGOs.
The forum for decision makers in the MENA region, involves the setting up of means and mechanisms to help raise awareness and fight against this disease. Participants will discuss during two days on the causes of diabetes, a disease that weighs on economies and health systems of countries in the region, monitoring programs and follow up programmes, and new therapies.
Speaking at the opening of the forum, President of the World Diabetes Foundation, Jean Claude Mbany, warned against the propagation of this disease which threatens populations of the world including those of MENA region.
The high-level event was addresses by President Bill Clinton, founder of The William J Clinton Foundation, Dr Ala Alwan, assistant director-general for Non-communicable Diseases and Mental Health, World Health Organisation, and was attended by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark.
The Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA) region is facing one of the greatest healthcare challenges of modern time: the diabetes pandemic. It is estimated that 26.6 million people in the region have diabetes and this number is set to double to 51.7 million by 2030.
The timely and essential MENA Diabetes Leadership Forum is being convened to find solutions to the overwhelming burden of diabetes for individuals and families and for healthcare and social systems. Participants will explore and design solutions around diabetes awareness, prevention and lifestyle interventions, quality of diabetes care, and systems of effectiveness that reduce the economic burden of diabetes.
The aim of the Forum is that all participating nations will adopt the Dubai Diabetes Declaration, featuring country-specific action plans designed to turn the trend in diabetes, which is imposing overwhelming demands on the region's healthcare systems and financial burdens on its governments.
This Forum is an initiative to generate wider awareness of diabetes and other NCDs in the MENA region. The Forum also aims to share knowledge, understanding and practical advice for improving diabetes care, and measures to improve the availability and affordability of diabetes products.
The Forum is bringing together representatives from: government; national, regional and international organisations; professional and patient associations; healthcare professionals; research and academic institutes; think tanks; foundations; business; NGOs and the media. It will examine the current state of diabetes and its care in the MENA region, as well as the impact of diabetes in terms of both personal suffering and national economic burden. It is also an opportunity to share examples of best practice - initiatives that are really working to improve diabetes care - and to define the priorities for changing diabetes in the Middle East and Northern Africa.
FACT SHEET: Diabetes in the MENA region Economic impact of diabetes -According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), direct healthcare costs of diabetes-related illnesses range between 2.5% to 15% of a country's annual healthcare budget.
- The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) estimates that global healthcare expenditures to manage diabetes and prevent its complications are expected to total at least USD 376.0 billion in 2010. By 2030, this number is projected to exceed some USD 490.1 billion.
Facts on diabetes - The IDF estimates regional and national expenditure on diabetes in 2010 to reach US$5.5 billion, amounting to 14% of total healthcare expenditure in 2010. Given the variation in national economies in the region, considerable range in diabetes expenditure is estimated, from US$2,960 per person in 2010 in Qatar to US$24 per person in Pakistan.
Indirect costs of diabetes include: lost productivity costs due to inability to work, sickness, absence, disability, premature retirement or premature death but also intangible costs related to pain and suffering.
The IDF estimates that, in 2010, 7.7% of the adult population in the MENA region, amounting to 26.6 million people, are living with diabetes.
This is 9.3% of people living with diabetes globally, a number expected to double by 2030.
The observed prevalence of type 2 diabetes ranged from 5% in Yemen to 17% in Jordan, from 1% in Tunisia to 7% in Iraq.
Amongst investigated risk factors for type 2 diabetes, obesity emerged as an important factor and 60.4% of total incident type 2 diabetes could be attributed to excess weight in the general population of Iran (83.6% in women and 34.3% in men).
Recorded prevalence of obesity ranged from 4.6% in Yemen to 51.3% among women in Palestine.
In Yemen, men were found to be two to three times more likely to have diabetes than women.
A UAE study captured the effect of ethnicity on prevalence: East African Arabs (22.6%), UAE nationals (20.4%), Chaami Arabs (20.3%), and significantly lower prevalence among North African Arabs (15.8%) and Asian Arabs (13.3%).
The five risk factors categorised by the Oman National Diabetes study and used in the risk score were age, BMI, waist circumference, family history of diabetes and current hypertension status.
Abnormal glucose in a sample of 358 male office workers aged 39-49 in the UAE showed that, compared to Europeans, all ethnic groups had increased odds of abnormal glucose, with the highest among Peninsular Arabs and the lowest among Egyptians.
A Tunisian study found considerably lower prevalence of diabetes in the rural sample (males 4.4%, females 5.7%) compared to the urban sample (males 9.4%, females 11.7%). Urbanisation as a risk factor is often explained by its impacts on diet and lifestyle, in particular reduction in physical exercise and increased smoking and alcohol consumption. – Emirates News Agency, WAM
The UAE minister told the opening session of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Diabetes Leadership Forum in Dubai that :''there is an urgency for short, medium and long term strategic prevention, control and education plans.
''We need to adopt clear-cut and well-studied, applicable plans to fight diabetes, '' he said.
Citing world statistics, the minister said yesterday over 150 million people are suffering from diabetes worldwide and the figure is projected to go up if the disease is not given the top priority in health plans.
He warned that the disease is forecast to deplete 13 per cent of MENA healthcare budgets by 2025.
He demanded all forces of the community to raise their compliance with disease control plans. ''Everybody should do whatever he could to stop the disease,' he stressed.
''The Ministry of Health has earlier recognised the importance of rolling back diabetes and has drawn up a long-term strategy to reduce its prevalence in the UAE,'' he explained.
The forum was opened in Dubai yesterday with the participation of over 600 experts representing 22 countries in the region, international governmental organisations and NGOs.
The forum for decision makers in the MENA region, involves the setting up of means and mechanisms to help raise awareness and fight against this disease. Participants will discuss during two days on the causes of diabetes, a disease that weighs on economies and health systems of countries in the region, monitoring programs and follow up programmes, and new therapies.
Speaking at the opening of the forum, President of the World Diabetes Foundation, Jean Claude Mbany, warned against the propagation of this disease which threatens populations of the world including those of MENA region.
The high-level event was addresses by President Bill Clinton, founder of The William J Clinton Foundation, Dr Ala Alwan, assistant director-general for Non-communicable Diseases and Mental Health, World Health Organisation, and was attended by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark.
The Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA) region is facing one of the greatest healthcare challenges of modern time: the diabetes pandemic. It is estimated that 26.6 million people in the region have diabetes and this number is set to double to 51.7 million by 2030.
The timely and essential MENA Diabetes Leadership Forum is being convened to find solutions to the overwhelming burden of diabetes for individuals and families and for healthcare and social systems. Participants will explore and design solutions around diabetes awareness, prevention and lifestyle interventions, quality of diabetes care, and systems of effectiveness that reduce the economic burden of diabetes.
The aim of the Forum is that all participating nations will adopt the Dubai Diabetes Declaration, featuring country-specific action plans designed to turn the trend in diabetes, which is imposing overwhelming demands on the region's healthcare systems and financial burdens on its governments.
This Forum is an initiative to generate wider awareness of diabetes and other NCDs in the MENA region. The Forum also aims to share knowledge, understanding and practical advice for improving diabetes care, and measures to improve the availability and affordability of diabetes products.
The Forum is bringing together representatives from: government; national, regional and international organisations; professional and patient associations; healthcare professionals; research and academic institutes; think tanks; foundations; business; NGOs and the media. It will examine the current state of diabetes and its care in the MENA region, as well as the impact of diabetes in terms of both personal suffering and national economic burden. It is also an opportunity to share examples of best practice - initiatives that are really working to improve diabetes care - and to define the priorities for changing diabetes in the Middle East and Northern Africa.
FACT SHEET: Diabetes in the MENA region Economic impact of diabetes -According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), direct healthcare costs of diabetes-related illnesses range between 2.5% to 15% of a country's annual healthcare budget.
- The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) estimates that global healthcare expenditures to manage diabetes and prevent its complications are expected to total at least USD 376.0 billion in 2010. By 2030, this number is projected to exceed some USD 490.1 billion.
Facts on diabetes - The IDF estimates regional and national expenditure on diabetes in 2010 to reach US$5.5 billion, amounting to 14% of total healthcare expenditure in 2010. Given the variation in national economies in the region, considerable range in diabetes expenditure is estimated, from US$2,960 per person in 2010 in Qatar to US$24 per person in Pakistan.
Indirect costs of diabetes include: lost productivity costs due to inability to work, sickness, absence, disability, premature retirement or premature death but also intangible costs related to pain and suffering.
The IDF estimates that, in 2010, 7.7% of the adult population in the MENA region, amounting to 26.6 million people, are living with diabetes.
This is 9.3% of people living with diabetes globally, a number expected to double by 2030.
The observed prevalence of type 2 diabetes ranged from 5% in Yemen to 17% in Jordan, from 1% in Tunisia to 7% in Iraq.
Amongst investigated risk factors for type 2 diabetes, obesity emerged as an important factor and 60.4% of total incident type 2 diabetes could be attributed to excess weight in the general population of Iran (83.6% in women and 34.3% in men).
Recorded prevalence of obesity ranged from 4.6% in Yemen to 51.3% among women in Palestine.
In Yemen, men were found to be two to three times more likely to have diabetes than women.
A UAE study captured the effect of ethnicity on prevalence: East African Arabs (22.6%), UAE nationals (20.4%), Chaami Arabs (20.3%), and significantly lower prevalence among North African Arabs (15.8%) and Asian Arabs (13.3%).
The five risk factors categorised by the Oman National Diabetes study and used in the risk score were age, BMI, waist circumference, family history of diabetes and current hypertension status.
Abnormal glucose in a sample of 358 male office workers aged 39-49 in the UAE showed that, compared to Europeans, all ethnic groups had increased odds of abnormal glucose, with the highest among Peninsular Arabs and the lowest among Egyptians.
A Tunisian study found considerably lower prevalence of diabetes in the rural sample (males 4.4%, females 5.7%) compared to the urban sample (males 9.4%, females 11.7%). Urbanisation as a risk factor is often explained by its impacts on diet and lifestyle, in particular reduction in physical exercise and increased smoking and alcohol consumption. – Emirates News Agency, WAM
