(Women Gateway)
Twenty- five per cent of Bahraini population is suffering from Type-2 diabetes, a senior consultant revealed yesterday.
“ Our patients are growing from children to adolescents,” Dr. Abduljabbar Al Abbaisi, Senior Consultant Paediatrician and Diabetologist at the Salmaniya Medical Complex(SMC) told a press conference on Wednesday.
He said from January- May this year there were 33 new cases of Type -1 diabetes among children. There are about 1000 patients suffering from Type-1 diabetes in the island.
The doctor was speaking at a special meeting of consultants yesterday at the SMC. He said they had a special diabetic care clinic with specialised staff consisting- 3 senior consultants, specially trained nurses on diabetes, dietician and social worker.
“ The Ministry of Health provides patients free glucometer to check glucose in blood, insulin shots, needles as part of the patients treatment process,” Dr. Al Abbaisi explained.
He further added that educating the patient and the family topped their priorities. But admitted they faced a tough task of convincing young patients to take the insulin shots.
“ Children who are diabetic grow up and reach a stage where they are reluctant to receive any treatment. They are in a state of denial and claim they are in good health,” the doctor said.
Speaking about the increase of the chronic disease among children, Dr. Ali Ebrahim, Chairman of the Paediatric Department at the SMC said. “
In 1989, there was 30 registered cases of diabetic children, the number has increased and now we have about 1,000 children suffering from the disease.” This he said meant 23 new cases per 100,000
population every year.
Blame it on family history or life style, Dr. Al Abbasis said diabetes was not a disease but deficiency of insulin.
“ If a child can control his insulin level he/she can live a normal life,” the consultant said.
Health authorities announced last month prospects of setting up a first of its kind stem cell transplantation centre for the treatment of diabetes.
A German delegation met last week with the health Minister Dr. Faisal Al Hamer to discuss the establishment of the center that would focus on researching and finding cure for diabetes. The center comes as part
of a ten-year action plan to reduce diabetic cases in Bahrain.
“ Our patients are informing us about stem cell transplant treatment offered in other countries. But this is not yet the standard therapy for Type-2 diabetes as the clinical trials are not yet tested on humans,” Dr.Fayza Al Jenaidi, Senior Consultant diabetologist and endocrinologist at the SMC who met the German delegation said.
Diabetes affects more than 250 million people worldwide and according to health experts the number would increase to 380 million in the coming years. In type 1 diabetes, cells of the pancreas produce little or no insulin, the hormone that allows sugar (glucose) to enter body cells. People suffering from Type-1 must use insulin everyday. In type 2 diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. Often people with type 2 diabetes have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and are overweight or obese.