UAE Ministry of Health & Prevention signs MoU with AstraZeneca to support patients with diabetes

UAE, May 7, 2016- The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with AstraZeneca Gulf for mutual cooperation in supporting and educating patients with diabetes and providing them with necessary tools to manage their disease. According to the terms of the agreement, both parties will work towards enhancing the medical capabilities of healthcare professionals to boost the health status of diabetic patients through integrated educational initiatives for both doctors and patients. In addition, they will also look to expand the capabilities of diabetes care teams, including nurses, dietitians and pharmacists to create a database for diabetics based on field studies within the framework of a supportive national policy.

The MoU was signed by Dr. Hussein Abdul Rahman Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for the Health Centers and Clinics, UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, and Samer Al Hallaq, Director, AstraZeneca Gulf, on the sidelines of the regular meeting of the National Committee for Combating Diabetes at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dubai Festival City.

Dr. Al Rand confirmed that the agreement reinforces the Ministry’s strategic partnership with the global medical companies to develop community service in line with its goals to improve the curative and preventive services related to chronic diseases in the UAE and as per international standards. This comes in cooperation with the state health authorities and Emirates Diabetes Society to reduce the spread of the disease which would eventually contribute in lowering diabetes in the country from current 19.3 per cent to 16.28 per cent the year 2021 complementing UAE Vision 2021.

The Assistant Undersecretary highlighted the Ministry’s efforts in combating diabetes by creating specialized diabetes clinics and launching national initiatives such as raising awareness on healthy lifestyles and building healthy children. The outreach program with AstraZeneca Gulf will support the Ministry’s initiatives, including the three elements that supporting diabetic patients and health care providers and training specialized teams in the healthcare sector, and the establishment of a national database for patients with diabetes that contributes to extrapolate the plans for health strategy and solutions, supporting the ministry in the national index of the proportion of people with diabetes, as well as the prevalence of obesity, high levels of lipids to its close relationship with diabetes.

For his part, Al Hallaq said: “AstraZeneca’s interest in developing a partnership with the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention for the provision of effective treatments for diabetic patients is based on our experience in the field. It is driven by our desire to improve the lives of people with diabetes in the UAE.” He pointed out that the program includes the formation of groups of patients, punctuated group discussions, exchange of experiences on the awareness of members of the group with diabetes, expected barriers in the area of care, and relationships with health care providers, that includes physicians, pharmacists and nurses with an aim to get a better understanding of the needs and gaps in the care of diabetic patients and how to manage their illness.

The program includes activities to teach patients about healthy fasting, preparing healthy meals, and adjusting medication appropriately to fast as well as providing educational materials to patients and healthcare teams through educational library and workshops. It will also inform them how to take advantage of smartphone application for diabetes which contains useful educational materials on the disease.

As per the MoU, AstraZeneca will provide reports every three months on the findings on the progress made in the program. During the second phase, it will provide training through the Graduate Diploma in Diabetes by selecting a few healthcare professionals in the UAE. The main objective of the program is to provide medical and scientific excellence through a series of educational activities to enhance knowledge, skills and experience of professional healthcare providers so that they can offer outstanding service to people with diabetes in the country.