Leaders of the MENA region adopt concrete actions against diabetes threat

The “Dubai Declaration” resolves to reverse alarming regional trends



Danmark, Thursday, December 16th 2010 [ME NewsWire]:

The Dubai Declaration on Diabetes and Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases in the Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA) Region was adopted on 12 December 2010 as part of the MENA Diabetes Leadership Forum. The two-day Forum united a multi-disciplinary group of over 500 regional and international experts and decision-makers from 22 countries and territories in the MENA region (Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Palestinian National Authority, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE and Yemen).


Convened to find solutions to the overwhelming burden of diabetes for individuals and families, for healthcare and social systems, the Forum culminated in the adoption of the Dubai Declaration on Diabetes and Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases in the MENA Region. The “Dubai Declaration” lists concrete measures aimed at reversing the trend in diabetes.


The agreement, drafted by the UAE Ministry of Health, the Executive Board of the Health Ministers’ Council for the Gulf Cooperation Council States and the World Bank, commits each country to establishing a national strategy encompassing prevention, awareness, early detection and better quality of care.


Deploring the lack of such strategies in the region, Professor Dr Tawfik Khoja, director-general of the Executive Board of the Health Ministers’ Council for the GCC States, urged all of the signatories to implement the resolutions in the Dubai Declaration.


For his part, His Excellency Dr Hanif Hassan Ali Al Qassim, Minister of Health of the UAE, stressed that “addressing this pandemic is urgent and important. Non-communicable diseases like diabetes will be a burden on the region’s economies.” He also called upon the establishment of a special committee at GCC level to monitor the implementation of the Declaration.


After this important first step, the challenge of implementation begins. Professor Khoja committed to taking the Dubai Declaration to the Arab League and reconvening in December 2011 to monitor the implementation of the Declaration.


Diabetes is sweeping the MENA region, affecting an estimated 26.6 million people today, imposing overwhelming demands on the region’s healthcare institutions and excessive financial burdens on its governments. As alarming as this picture is, the number of people with diabetes is expected to double to 51.7 million people by 2030.


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