Medical and technological advances, as well as more public awareness, are offering a ‘golden’ opportunity for tackling the growing threat of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) like diabetes, health chiefs heard at a major conference in Bahrain.
Scores of policymakers and practitioners from Bahrain and beyond have gathered at the Gulf Hotel and Convention Centre in Manama for the second Primary Healthcare Centres Conference and Exhibition.
The event was inaugurated yesterday in the presence of Supreme Council for Health chairman Lieutenant General Dr Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa alongside other prominent government health sector officials.
Some of the topics explored were travel health and vaccination, managing asthma and new hypertension guidelines, among others. There was an exclusive session on mental health, addressing issues like sleep disorders, learning disabilities and depression too.
During the symposium, it was revealed that the prevalence of diabetes would continue to rise in the Middle East. The 11th edition of the IDF Diabetes Atlas, dated 2025, highlights that the number of people suffering from the disease in the Mena region will increase by 92 per cent – from 84.7 million in 2024 to 162.6m in 2050.
NCDs, also known as chronic diseases, are not passed from person-to-person. The main types are cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes.
“The latest National Health Survey conducted in 2018 indicates that 15pc of Bahrain’s population i.e. one in five has diabetes,” Awali Hospital consultant endocrinologist professor Dalal Alromaihi told the GDN. “If you look at Bahraini nationals, this figure is 18pc, which is similar to the Gulf region,” she added, revealing that the government has just completed a new National Health Survey.
The expert, who spoke about the advancements and innovations in diabetes care, noted that more people with prediabetes are becoming increasingly aware of the disease and its negative effects.
“This is a golden opportunity to act because we can reverse it early on,” the hospital consultant added. “I see many patients seeking help with weight management – either overweight or obesity. This willingness to get evaluated and ask for help is very encouraging. Only if we do this now, we can expect a change 20 years later.”
Dr Alromaihi went on to advocate a long-term approach towards diabetes care, advising to look beyond laboratory values like glycaemic index – a measure of how quickly a food can make your blood sugar (glucose) rise. She advised medication, which is now available, that helps avoid other complications in the long run.
“Innovations in diabetic medication are helping to reduce complications like liver disease, which is common with obesity and Type 2 diabetes and the risk of heart failure and heart attacks,” she explained.
Additionally, Dr Alromaihi pointed to the role of technology in diabetes care, like diabetes patches, which offer more comprehensive data that could prove helpful in managing the disease.
“These are widely available in Bahrain and continuously measure glucose, alerting users. They also monitor food portions and any improvements in sugar levels after physical activity like walking. Patients wear it for two weeks and can connect the patch to a device like a phone so that their caretaker or healthcare team can also know what is happening,” she explained.
Clinical nurse Zahra Ghuloom concurred that NCDs like diabetes, hypertension and cholesterol continue to remain a concern among patients in Bahrain.
“In my practice, I have seen many patients walk in with these disease and, though they are modifiable, people do not follow through with the medical advice. It is important to watch your food, for instance. These days, many working people go for fast food or eating outside.
“Lifestyle factors like lack of sleep and stress can cause hypertension (another chronic NCD). Even for us in the health sector, many do not get sufficient sleep and there is excessive caffeine consumption,” Ms Ghuloom added.
A session on NCDs will be staged today as well, featuring topics like beta-blockers, diabetes and periodontitis, and weight management in primary care, among others. Other topics that will be explored include childcare, women and maternal care, and elderly care.
The conference, which continues until Saturday, features workshops, as well as an exhibition, showcasing many hospitals and pharmaceutical brands.
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