The Emirates Diabetes Society's ‘Win Over Diabetes' mobile clinic is in its final preparations to begin its journey across the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with the first visit taking place in the rural area of Al Lusaily, between Dubai and Al Ain, Saturday. Inaugurated in Dubai last December at the prestigious International Diabetes Federation-sponsored World Diabetes Congress, the mobile clinic patient initiative will act as an education, disease consultation and treatment facility, utilizing eminent medical specialists and offering services to patients in the remote areas of the nation, where access to specialized diabetes treatment is a challenge. “Al Lusaily is the first regional stop for the ‘Win over Diabetes' mobile clinic, which will be providing hope for the country's diabetes sufferers. Controlling this debilitating disease is a matter that can be tackled through lifestyle changes, not only in terms of diet and exercise but also through better compliance with prescribed medication – a shortfall here in the UAE. We are dedicated to providing an exemplary standard of care to patients that may not have access to any, due to their remote locations. Staffed with volunteer specialist including top physicians and disease educators, the mobile clinic aims to change that,” said Dr. Abdul Razzaq Al Madani, Head of the Emirates Diabetes Society. The day-trip will allow specialists on board to carry out diabetes screening, provide examinations and consultations for diabetic patients, and provide wider medical education to physicians, patients and nurses in the area to aid effective management of the disease and also reduce the staggering rate of diabetes in the local population. The Win Over Diabetes mobile clinic is also fully equipped to provide screenings to the residents of Al Lusaily, which will involve blood glucose, blood pressure and lipid testing, together with the monitoring of other important vital signs. Diabetes mellitus is the fourth leading cause of death by disease globally, and is the leading cause of blindness and visual impairment among adults in developed countries. According to the World Health Organization, the prevalence of diabetes is highest among member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), ranging from 11.5 to 30 percent, with more than 20 percent of the local population affected in the UAE. This makes diabetes management as the priority for all the stakeholders in UAE. The ‘Win Over Diabetes' mobile clinic campaign intends to cover all seven UAE emirates over a 12-month period, with specialist health care practitioners onboard making visits to the country's many hospitals, healthcare clinics, and community centres. Organizers of the ‘Win Over Diabetes' Mobile Clinic campaign also point out that the mobile clinic tour is not only intended to screen UAE residents for diabetes but also to offer treatment and care optimization in remote areas, including: Diabetic patients also suffering from complications such as hypoglycaemia Weight gain in diabetic patients due to a lack of effective management and even, in some cases, awareness of their illness Patients with diabetes-associated illnesses such as high blood pressure (hypertension) and abnormal levels of fats/cholesterol in the blood (dyslipidaemia) The Win Over Diabetes mobile clinic is a joint patient service initiative between the Emirates Diabetes Society and Swiss pharmaceutical company, Novartis — one of the leading pharmaceutical companies worldwide, offering partnership in patient-oriented services beyond the innovative medications across different therapeutic areas.
