Free check-ups in Abu Dhabi to create awareness on kidney disorders

Free medical check-ups will be held as part of a public awareness on kidney disorders at the Abu Dhabi Khalifa Park next Friday.

The event will mark the the 2nd annual World Kidney Day (WKD) 2008. Experts say diabetes as the most common cause of Chronic Renal Failure or Chronic Kidney Disease in the UAE.

"When the kidney function falls to less than 10-15 per cent a person is considered to have End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) and some form of renal replacement therapy is required to sustain life and maintain health. On World Kidney Day, we wish to raise public awareness and provide education about the importance of prevention and early detection of kidney diseases and hypertension to keep our kidneys safe and healthy," said Dr. Ali Al Obaidli, Clinical Director at the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA) and Consultant Nephrologist at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC).

According to Dr Yassin Al Shahat, Nephrology Consultant, SKMC physicians should communicate the important consequences of the kidney and provide information on how diseases threatening once kidney, such as hypertension, can be treated and controlled.

"We aim to improve the knowledge, attitude, and behaviors of the general population and health professionals related to kidney disease risk factors. Public participation in health educational campaigns will encourage early detection, treatment, and control in hypertensive individuals."

The WKD 2008 initiative is part of the Renal Programme at SKMC in cooperation with the SEHA in a joint initiative with the Emirates Medical Association – Nephrology.

World Kidney Day

- The World Kidney Day was launched for the first time in 2006 and is usually held on the second Thursday of March.

- Doctors and nurses will be available at the Khalifa Park on Friday 14th March from 5pm to 11pm.

- To mark the 2nd annual 'World Kidney Day' several activities and check-up stations at Khalifa Park will include: Free blood pressure, height and weight checks and educational brochures and pamphlets on Kidney Diseases. Source

Medical screening for Emirati children is free

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and Takamul have come out with more details of the pilot project to screen newborns and children in government hospitals for blood and genetic disorders.
The screening will be done free of cost for children born to UAE nationals while a nominal fee will be charged from expatriate parents.
The project, which will be launched in Dubai soon and rolled out as a major programme all over the country later, will be implemented by all government hospitals and Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs).

Project to start with newborns

“It is important to start off with newborns because in this way, we can reduce the psychological and financial burden of the disease on both the families and the health providers by at least 7-12 per cent,” said Dr Haider Al Yousaf, Executive Director of Takamul, during a training workshop for medical staff at the Rashid Hospital on Wednesday.

He added that each case would be followed up starting from six months to a year, but could be extended as per the case requirements.

“The project, which is going to be the most comprehensive in the world, will put Dubai in the forefront of international child screening,” said Qadhi Al Murooshid, Director-General of DHA.

Early detection could reduce costs

“A recent study has proposed that early detection could reduce disabilities due to congenital defects in children by 40 per cent,” said Al Murooshid, adding that the system would also help in reducing the treatment costs for the families.

Dr Al Yousuf explained, “We are gathered here to propose a system to effectively screen children for blood and genetic disorders from birth which are not immediately noticeable but are treatable if detected early. If undetected, the results could be devastating.”

The tests to be conducted on newborns to detect visual, developmental and hearing problems as well as diseases.

Cases will be referred to Takamul’s Screening, Early Diagnostic and Intervention Centre (Sedic) for a follow-up at a later stage.”

Sedic provides state-of-the-art comprehensive, family-focused, interdisciplinary assessment and diagnostic services to children with disabilities and birth defects, and who are at risk of developmental delays and their families. The services will be very beneficial to the families whose children have been diagnosed with disease,” said Al Yousaf.

Parents urged to come forward

He also encouraged parents to come forward for treatment of their children.
Initially, 50 personnel from different cadres are being trained including ENT specialists, social workers, dieticians and paediatricians.
Takamul is a Government of Dubai initiative that works for the inclusion and self-determination of people with special needs and their families in a barrier-free society. Source

Free Testing In Dubai On World Diabetes Day

November 14th is International World Diabetes Day. To mark the occasion Welcare World Health Systems (WWHS) facilities throughout Dubai are inviting residents of the UAE for free screenings throughout the day. World Diabetes Day is an occasion to raise awareness about diabetes and its associated risk factors.

World Diabetes Day was introduced by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 1991, in response to the concern over the escalating incidence of diabetes around the world. Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is the most prevalent chronic disease in the UAE. Recent statistics released by the Ministry of Health confirm that 25% of UAE nationals suffer from it, while the IDF ranks the prevalence of diabetes in the UAE at a staggering 30.7%, which is the second highest rate worldwide.
According to the recent McKinsey Report, the UAE spends on average 1,940 million dollars annually on healthcare. With the region?s population expected to grow to 56.3 million by 2025, diabetes and its related conditions are set to cause an increasing financial burden on the healthcare system.
"Healthcare costs in the UAE are rising due to a number of factors, one being the high incidence of diabetes and it?s related factors, the GCC expenditure on healthcare is set to increase fivefold from today's 11.9 billion to 57.3 billion by 2025," said Dr. Ottmar Schmidt, Director of PR and Marketing, WWHS. "It is estimated that cardiology will create by far the biggest burden on the health system. There needs to be more preventative measures in place to reverse this trend. It is our social responsibility to help stop the spread of diabetes and its related conditions and I urge people to attend the free screenings offered to them on World Diabetes Day," Dr. Schmidt continued.
According to the WHO diabetes is responsible for 75% of deaths among nationals and 31% among non nationals in the UAE, while 90% of amputees in the UAE are diabetic. As rates of the disease increase in the UAE it is important that individuals are aware of the symptoms and get tested. Patients with higher blood glucose levels than normal are said to have pre-diabetes and are at risk of developing the disease within 5 to 10 years. Early identification of the risk factors is essential as it may help in preventing the onset of the disease.
"One of the problems we often encounter is that a large proportion of the population have Diabetes but are unaware and only present themselves when they suffer from its complications," comments Dr. Iyad Ksseiry, Specialist Endocrinologist, Welcare Hospital. "While it cannot be cured, diabetes can be carefully controlled and I hope that people will come forward to get tested in order to prevent future, more serious complications," he added.
Welcare Hospital has a Specialist Diabetes Clinic to help support and educate those diagnosed with the condition. On World Diabetes Day a diabetic nurse educator, as well as a dietician and doctor will be on hand to give free tests and counselling. They will conduct a glucose tolerance test, which measures blood sugar levels and they will also analyse a patient?s basic metabolic factor. This will help identify what level of risk patients are at to develop diabetes and they will advise what can be done to help prevent the onset of the disease. Source