Qatar to launch action plan on obesity, diabetes, modifiable risk factors

Qatar will launch the Action Plan (2024-2030) on Obesity, Diabetes and Modifiable Risk Factors for ASCVDs (Atherosclerotic cardiovascular Diseases) at the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) 2024 Thursday, coinciding with World Diabetes Day.

Prof Abdul-Badi Abou-Samra, co-chair, National Diabetes Committee and director, Qatar Metabolic Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, revealed some of the details of the plan at a diabetes care symposium at the University of Doha for Science and Technology.

“The Action Plan aims to prevent and optimally manage diabetes, obesity and modifiable risk factors. It plans to empower the public, patients, and the healthcare professionals to address the challenges of obesity, diabetes and modifiable risk factors,” said Prof Abou-Samra.

The official noted that the action plan aims at several areas such as obesity reduction, enhanced diabetes management and risk factors control among others. He explained: “The Action Plan 2024-2030 includes 58 projects targeting diabetes and obesity prevention and management in Qatar combining ongoing efforts such as screenings, primary care empowerment and guidelines update with newly proposed projects. Each project is assigned to specific institutions responsible for structured implementations. The National Diabetes Committee will monitor the progress of the projects, ensuring alignment with health priorities and achievements of the expected outcome.”

According to Prof Abou-Samra, the Action Plan 2024-2030 targets reduction in obesity prevalence among Qatari population from 39.7% to align with the non-Qatari levels (32.2%) focusing on proactive management and comprehensive public health efforts across all age groups.

“It also aims to enhance diabetes management by stabilising diabetes prevalence through advanced treatments, weight management and new tools for blood glucose monitoring. Qatar aims to reduce complications for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes supported by initiatives like Qatar Genome Project for Precision medicine,” continued the official.

With 37% adults having three or more risk factors in the country, the action plan aims to decrease it to 30% by empowering primary care, expanding national screening and intensifying prevention programmes to reach 75% of the targeted population.

“As we advance toward implementing the action plan, we are focussing on comprehensive strategies to address the root causes of obesity and diabetes in Qatar. Our approach aims to empower individuals, families and communities with the knowledge and resources to make healthier choices while strengthening preventive healthcare services and enabling primary care to deliver care closer to home,” highlighted Prof Abou-Samra.

He said that there were two consultation workshops to prepare the action plan.

“We had six months of development, six drafts and 50 subject matter experts reviewed the draft. International consultants have also reviewed the document, and we have had multidimensional diabetes committee meetings, and eight key committee and the department engagements,” he added.