In yet another effort to reduce the prevalence of diabetes in the country, HE the Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari has launched the landmark Qatar Diabetes Prevention Programme and opened the Qatar Diabetes Research Centre at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC).
The region’s largest, research-based programme is a public sector partnership designed to prevent or delay the onset of Type 2 Diabetes amongst citizens and residents of Qatar. The five-year programme has been funded by the Qatar Research Development and Innovation Council and HMC’s Academic Health System (AHS).
In-kind contributions have also been made by the Ministry of Public Health, Primary Health Care Corporation, Qatar University, Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar, Hamad Bin Khalifa University through Qatar Biomedical Research Institute and Qatar Computing Research Institute, and Qatar Diabetes Association.
Qatar Diabetes Research Centre’s work will play a significant role in addressing diabetes-related health challenges. The centre will house the region-leading prevention programme to create a patient-centred approach to Type 2 diabetes and strategies for preventing the disease, as well as enable the community to make informed decisions, change behaviours, reduce their risk, and improve their overall health.
The Qatar Diabetes Research Centre, located at HMC’s Doha campus next to the Surgical Specialty Centre, is equipped with multiple examination and procedure rooms and will be staffed by around 30 research assistants, physicians, and research coordinators all of whom will launch the Qatar Diabetes Prevention Programme.
The research subjects (patients) will be selected through the National Diabetes Screening Programme being performed by the Primary Healthcare Centres for the Qatar National Diabetes Strategy. Around 40,000 subjects will be called as part of this and it is anticipated that 4,000 subjects will be enroled.
Prof Jassim al-Suwaidi, chief of Scientific, Academic and Faculty Affairs-HMC said: “The four clinical trials being undertaken by the Qatar Diabetes Prevention Programme are led by investigators from the Qatar Metabolic Institute of the HMC AHS and this research is co-funded by AHS; which illustrates our support for diabetes research in Qatar.”
Prof Abdul-Badi Abou-Samra, director, Qatar Diabetes Prevention Programme, said the initiative would develop a personalised approach to Type 2 diabetes and its prevention.
“The Qatar Diabetes Research Centre team will identify genetic and molecular factors associated with pre-diabetes, in turn helping to target individuals at increased risk who could benefit from early intervention. The Qatar Diabetes Prevention Programme will be running four clinical trials and focused on outcomes including preventing gestational diabetes, preventing, and reversing Type 2 diabetes and personalised care ” Prof Abou-Samra said.
Diabetes is a chronic condition that may start 'silently' without symptoms but can progress to serious health complications if not prevented and managed early and properly. The condition is a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke and lower limb amputation globally and in the region.
