UAE, October 22, 2017 - The Ministry of Health and Prevention, in cooperation with Johnson & Johnson, has launched an early detection program for diabetes across 10 of its primary health care centers in the UAE. The move falls in line with the Ministry's strategy to address non-communicable diseases and to increase the effectiveness of following up on highly-vulnerable patients. 

The health centers covered by the new program include Al-Qarain and Al-Sabkha Health Centers in Sharjah; Al Muhaisnah in Dubai; Al Salamah Health Centre and Al Madina Health Center in Ajman; Family Health Promotion Centers in Ras Al Khaimah and Al Murshid Health Center and Al Bedia Health Centre in Fujairah. The program targets all adult patients who have risk factors such as overweight or obesity, high blood pressure, family history of diabetes and smokers.

The program seeks to examine 10,000 people among the most vulnerable groups such as obesity and high blood pressure, in addition to educating about 100 members of nursing staff and enable them to utilize the program’s curriculum per the highest international standards.

Dr. Haifa Hamad Fares, Head of the Ministry of Health and Prevention’s Primary Health Care Program Section, MOHAP, said that the Ministry aims to activate the awareness campaign launched in March this year to reach the largest segment of society as part of its efforts to combat non-communicable diseases, especially diabetes. The move is aimed to improve the results of the national indicator of the proportion of the population with diabetes, as part of its strategy to provide comprehensive and integrated health care in innovative and sustainable ways to ensure community prevention of diseases and to optimize the program through the provision of preventive services in accordance with global best practices. She explained that the priority given to combating diseases like diabetes is included in the National Agenda 2021.