Bahrain is making significant progress in tackling diabetes among its population, especially Type 2 in early-detected cases, according to a health official.
Bahraini Diabetes Society vice-president Dr Mariam Al Hajeri said continuous awareness campaigns and diverse treatment techniques, including adoption of a healthy lifestyle, have resulted in reduced complications from the disease.
“Bahrain has developed programmes to improve lifestyles, focusing on nutrition and physical activity,” said Dr Al Hajeri.
“These diverse treatment techniques have effectively reduced diabetes complications.
“Bahrain prides itself in its distinguished medical professionals, whose expertise enhances health services and care quality for citizens, particularly diabetes patients, supported by the government’s attention to the health sector.”
Dr Al Hajeri was speaking at the seventh edition of the Bahrain Diabetes and Endocrine Review that concluded at the Gulf Hotel recently. The two-day forum, attended by Health Ministry’s assistant under-secretary for public health Dr Samia Bahram and other health professionals, was hosted by Royal Bahrain Hospital (RBH).
Specialists at the event discussed various innovations in diabetes diagnosis and treatment, including Artificial Intelligence (AI) for early detection, continuous glucose monitors and new pharmaceutical advancements to enable better management of sugar levels.
Dr Hussein
Conference chair and senior endocrine consultant at RBH Dr Wiam Hussein said 15 per cent of adults in Bahrain were diabetic.
“Data also shows that about 23pc are pre-diabetic,” he added, stressing the importance of early detection, and the adoption of advanced international treatment methods to combat endocrine complications and address rising prevalence factors.
Pre-diabetes means that a person’s blood sugar is higher than usual, but not high enough for him/her to be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
RBH chief medical officer Stephen Angamuthu outlined the hospital’s commitment to combat the condition. He indicated that diabetes infections might reach a quarter of the region’s population by 2030, requiring government-private partnerships to tackle the health challenge.
Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin produced.
Symptoms include excessive thirst, urinating more than usual, unexplained weight loss, feeling tired and weak, mood changes, blurry vision, slow healing sores and infections of the gum and skin.
It is divided into two types, each with its own causes, risk factors and treatment and prevention protocols.
Type-1 Diabetes occurs when the body attacks the cells in the pancreas, meaning it cannot make any insulin. Type-2 Diabetes is largely attributed to childhood obesity and physical inactivity.
Participants in the forum also suggested increasing regional co-operation among Gulf states to share experiences and fight the disease.
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