Healthcare | Sunday 26 April, 2015 7:43 am |

The Arab Diabetes Medical Congress held in Doha 23-25 April under the patronage of the supreme council of health and supported by the Qatar Diabetes Association, Health Ministries’ Council for Corporation Council and Hamad Medical Corporation.
The leading congress was inaugurated by Sheikh Dr. Mohamed Al Thani, Director of Public Health at the supreme council of health and gathered imminent experts from across the Arab world including policy makers, researchers and diabetologists to discuss preventative measures and improved treatment for tackling the increasing occurrence of diabetes amongst the Middle East.
Sheikh Dr. Mohamed Al Thani, highlighted that the supreme council of Health in Qatar is currently working on the National Diabetes Strategy which will be released soon, and it will focus on early diagnosis, prevention of Diabetes and providing high quality medical services for diabetic patients according to the highest standards to prevent any further complications of diabetes.
“ The national diabetes strategy will mandate the measurement of blood sugar for everyone to ensure early detection, also ensuring access to screening and diabetes treatment through medical insurance which will obligate people to go for diabetes screening”, added Dr. Mohamed Al Thani.
Sheikh Dr. Mohamed emphasized that Qatar is focusing on improving the quality of health services and Diabetes is a major focus now as the percentage of diabetic patients in Qatar is around 16.7% also Qatar is one of the top 10 countries in the prevalence of Diabetes, therefore supporting and hosting the Arab Diabetes Medical Congress in Qatar is one of the initiatives for providing better care in Qatar.
“Diabetes rates are alarming in our region, ranging from 12-18%, according to the international Diabetes Federation where United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar are on the top of the list of countries also the cost of treating complications of diabetes is about 11% of healthcare expenditure therefore there is a strong need for such platforms where policy makers, researchers and diabetologists gather to control this epidemic”, said Dr. Doaa Said, managing director at Maarefah, the organizer of the congress.
"Qatar has the potential to be one of the most advanced cities in the world and it has people with required skills who are capable of providing and maintaining a world-class medical services, also we are thankful for the support that we have received from the supreme council of health”, added Dr. Doaa.
The congress discussed the most important and the latest issues and medical research, latest diabetes treatments, and the relationship between diabetes and liver and kidney disease, the effect of diabetes on the feet and how to prevent diabetic foot disease, and the relationship between heart diseases, blood pressure, diabetes, and complications of diabetes and how to avoid and manage them. More than 25 expert speakers including: Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Thani, Director of Public Health Department, Supreme Council of Health, Qatar
H.E. Prof. Dr. Tawfik A.M. Khoja, Director General Executive Board, Health Ministers’ Council for Cooperation Council States, KSA, Dr. Abdulla Al Hamaq, Executive Director, Qatar Diabetes Association, Qatar, Dr. Shahrad Taheri, Professor of Medicine, Director, CRS Core, Weill Cornell Medical College, Qatar, Prof. Abdul Badi Abou Samra, Chair Department of Internal Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar, Dr. Bassam Saleh bin Abbas, Consultant, Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Director, Insulin Pump Therapy Program King Faisal Hospital, KSA, Dr. Khaled Abdullah Tayeb, Vice President, Diabetes Committee, Ministry of Health, former President, National Committee of Diabetes, Director Diabetes Center, Al Noor Hospital, Dr. Mohsen El-Edrisi, Senior Consultant, Department of Medicine and Endocrinology, Hamad General Hospital, Qatar, Dr. Wissam Ghadban, Senior Consultant Physician of Internal Medicine, Chief of Medicine, Al Khor Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Dr. Essam M. Abdelalim, Scientist, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, Prof. Chris Triggler, Professor of Pharmacology, Assistant Dean Admissions Weill Cornell Medical College, Qatar, Dr. Huda Al Dhubaib, General Surgeon, Wound Care Specialist, Al Razi Hospital, Kuwait, Manal Musallam, Senior Diabetes Educator, Hamad General Hospital, Qatar, Dr. Maha M. Elshafei, Senior Consultant Vitreoretinal Surgeon, Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar, Dr. Mohsen El-Edrisi, Senior Consultant, Department of Medicine and Endocrinology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Prof. Nasser M. Al-Daghri, Director, Prince Mutaib Chair for Biomarkers of Osteoporosis, Deputy Director, Biomarkers Research Program, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia, Dr. Waleed Al Tamimi, Consultant Biochemist, Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Saudi Arabia