KUWAIT: The Kuwait Diabetes Association, in cooperation with the Endocrinology Unit at Farwaniya Hospital, held an event on World Diabetes Day to promote awareness of diabetes, the impact of its complications and ways to prevent it.

A consultant said Endocrinology and Diabetes, Chairman of the Kuwait Diabetes Association, Dr Walid Al-Dhahi, said in a press statement during the event on Monday that the Gulf countries witness the highest global rates of type 2 diabetes and are second only to European countries in type 1 incidence. He stressed that Kuwait needs a large national program that supports a package of laws adopted by the National Assembly to address and confront the disease. He pointed out that some countries have achieved success by implementing this program.

He stressed the need for concerted efforts to raise awareness and know the factors that cause diabetes and the warning factors in how to deal with and control it, as the expected rates indicate a doubling of the number of infections by the year 2030. According to statistics from the International Diabetes Organization, diabetes is linked to other diseases such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, and atherosclerosis. During the spread of COVID-19, it was observed that its infection rates were higher among diabetic patients compared to others, and this is due to weak immunity.

The head of the internal medicine department at Farwaniya Hospital, Dr Naila Al-Mazidi said that the Ministry of Health paid great attention to this disease and worked to develop strategies, plans and programs to reduce the spread of chronic diseases, especially diabetes. Al-Mazidi indicated that the hospital, in coordination with the Diabetes Association, marks World Diabetes Day, emphasizing the community partnership in organizing an awareness campaign to combat the disease and reduce its complications.

Diabetes specialist at Farwaniya Hospital Dr Fahd Al-Ajmi said that diabetes is a chronic disease and occurs when the pancreas is unable to produce insulin in sufficient quantity or when the body is unable to use it effectively. Al-Ajmi confirmed that following a healthy diet and practicing regular physical activity while maintaining a normal weight are factors that prevent or work to limit the incidence of type 2 diabetes.

He stated that the most prominent symptoms of diabetes are frequent urination, extreme thirst, hunger, fatigue, and weight loss. And slow healing of bruises, in addition to blurred vision, numbness and tingling in the hands and feet, are other symptoms of diabetes. He explained that World Diabetes Day is an opportunity to raise awareness as one of the global public health issues that must be done collectively or individually in order to improve prevention, diagnosis and therapeutic management of the disease. — KUNA