LOC15:48
12:48 GMT
KUWAIT, April 20 (KUNA) -- Kuwait occupies the sixth place among nations
with the highest rates of diabetes, said Minister of Health Dr Muhammad
al-Haifi on Saturday.
For that reason, Kuwait is dedicating enormous resources to spread
awareness among the public as to the serious side effects of diabetes, some of
which could adversely affect a patient's eyes, kidneys, heart, or feet, Dr
al-Haifi said in a press statement on the sideline of inaugurating a
conference today on diabetes undertaken by the diabetes unit at Amiri Hospital.
He praised organizers of the conference, saying that it dovetailed
admirably with the overall policy of the ministry to face the challenges
associated with treating patients with long-term diseases such as diabetes.
He stressed that the ministry, through the work being done by the higher
national committee for combatting non-communicative diseases, is keen on
partnering with other government entities to implement UN and WHO policies
regarding spreading awareness among the populace as to the dangers serious
diseases pose to their health.
In a similar press statement, head of the diabetes unit at the Amiri
Hospital Dr Abdulnabi al-Attar noted that the conference deals with the
latest approaches to treating diabetes through workshops where physicians are
apprised closely on treatment and prevention methods.
Besides the workshops, he said, the two-day conference is hosting a number of
medical experts from the US and Europe and the Gulf region to deliver speeches
on diabetes and treatment methods of long-term diseases.
He sounded alarm about the increasing rate of diabetes in Kuwait, affirming
that according to the international diabetes federation, this disease has
spiked in Kuwait from 21.2 to 23.9 percent. He urged doubling efforts at all
state levels to lower that percentage. (end)
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KUNA 201548 Apr 13NNNN