By Mohammed Al-Kinani
JEDDAH – A researcher has warned against the “dreadful” spread of diabetes in the GCC states if countries fail to take immediate preventive measures.
According to Dr. Abdurrahman Al-Kuwari, head of the Gulf Group for the Study of Diabetes (GGSD), the GCC countries should urgently develop all the necessary programs and plans to impede what he called the “fastest spreading disease” in the region.
He pointed out that five GCC states are listed among the top ten countries in the world with the highest rate of diabetes.
He added that the risk factors in Gulf societies are high, especially in the pre-diabetes phase.
Identifying the reasons why the disease is increasing so rapidly in the world’s richest region, Dr. Al-Kuwari pointed to individual diet behavior.
He added that the modern lifestyle that has increasingly spread among Gulf citizens has also worsened the situation.
Additionally, Dr. Al-Kuwari pointed out that there are other factors that have exacerbated the problem. “The absence of national programs with clear visions and insufficient budgetary allocations are hindering plans for preventing the early detection of the disease,” he said.
He added that there is also an apparent shortage in the number of medical specialists to treat patients with diabetes. “Despite the fact that diabetes tops the strategies and priorities of the ministries of health in the Gulf states, it is marginalized when it comes to budget allocations,” he said.
Dr. Kuwari said statistics recorded in 2007 show that the disease affected 14 to 20 percent of the total Gulf population. “Despite the fact that diabetes is recognized as a major health problem in the GCC states, it is still on the rise, not only in adults but also in children and adolescents,” he said.
“Furthermore, type two diabetes is now appearing in younger age groups in which obesity is evident. All these factors demand improved measures to curb the human and economic burden of this chronic condition through prevention, proper care and effective management,” he added.
The GGSD, established in Qatar in 2000, is a nongovernmental group consisting of regional endocrinologists and physicians who are concerned about the increase in diabetic cases in the region. – SGFacts about diabetes:
Type 1 diabetes is usually first diagnosed in children, teenagers, or young adults.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the disease. People can develop it at any age, but it is often diagnosed in later life and is commonly found in people who are overweight and do little exercise.
Signs and Symptoms
If you find yourself with any of the following symptoms, it is important you visit your doctor to get tested for diabetes:
1. Feeling tired
2. Frequent urination (especially at night)
3. Being very thirsty
4. Weight loss
5. Blurry eyesight
6. Recurring skin, gum, or bladder infections
7. Sores that heal slowly
8. Dry, itchy skin, and
9. Loss of feeling or feet tingling
