The Dubai Diabetes Center is set to be transformed

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) have announced that it will be behind the expansion of its Dubai Diabetes Center to cater to the growing needs of the region surrounding its approach to diabetes management and need for increased specialties.

The center will be completely redesigned to guarantee maximum efficiency, set to be undertaken by Dr. Muhammad Hamed Farooqi, Director and Consultant Endocrinologist of the Dubai Diabetes Center. The move will also enable all diabetes services to become centralised, rather than be managed from outpatient centers, a move welcomed by the community.

“As part of the expansions, we plan to add specialties related to complications to diabetes such as nephrology. We also look forward to increasing our podiatry services,” commented Dr Farooqi.

An increase in support services and complex treatments on offer will enhance the quality of care within the region, where the prevalence of diabetes in Dubai has reached 19%, with the rate of pre-diabetic Emirates topping 18.6%, Zawya has reported.

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The Dubai Diabetes Center became the first to utilise a retinal camera as a part of its regular, comprehensive diabetes checks  it was also the first DHA facility to have electronic health records, an area of further focus in 2018 in the region.

The development of new tools and solutions within diabetes management grew exponentially throughout 2017 and will continue to gain momentum in 2018. From Roche and Accenture’s pioneering diabetes management solutions, to the collaboration of Rimidi and Eli Lily, Dubai has also developed a new therapy to support the ongoing management of type 2 diabetes. The injectable prescription medicine will help patients control their blood sugar levels and lower the probability of weight gain with traditional methods, with limited side effects.

Additionally, the US is also set to collaborate with the UAE in the ongoing of diabetes management, with the development of a new technology which will replace the need for patients to regularly give themselves the required dosage of insulin.

The technology, named ITCA 650 is small, but will have the ability to provide the required dosage of insulin for a year, until it is replaced. Inserted under the skin, the UAE will be the first country globally to trial the new technology.