As part of its commitment towards health education and promotion, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC), managed by Cleveland Clinic, marks the World Diabetes Day commemorations on Friday, 26 November 2010.
SKMC is part of the SEHA HealthSystem and is owned and operated by Abu Dhabi Health Services Company PJSC (SEHA), which is responsible for the curative activities of all the public hospitals and clinics in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
The World Diabetes Day, which falls on the 14th of November annually, marks the primary global awareness campaign of the International Diabetes Federation and United Nations.
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is an umbrella organization of over 200 member associations in more than 160 countries, advocating for the more than 250 million people with diabetes, their families, and their healthcare providers.
Its mission is to promote diabetes care, prevention and a cure worldwide. The International Diabetes Federation leads the World Diabetes Day and Unite for Diabetes campaigns.
The event, organized by a multidisciplinary team from SKMC’s Diabetes Clinic, will take place at the Khalidiyah Mall from 3:00 pm until 9:00 pm. Diabetes Nurse Educators will be available to advice on diabetes prevention, monitoring and education using a new educational tool- ‘Conversation Maps’.
Posters will list the signs and symptoms of diabetes and the groups of people that are high risk of developing diabetes. Anyone concerned about the latter will be directed to one of SKMC’s Family Medicine Clinics for screening.
Moreover, the adult and pediatric divisions of diabetes and endocrinology at two of SEHA’s facilities, SKMC and Mafraq Hospital, are staging a three-day continuous medical education event at Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan, Abu Dhabi from 25 until 27 November 2010.
The conference is accredited by the Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD) and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada for 15 hours of Continuous Medical Education (CME). The event, named “Excellence in Diabetes and Endocrinology”, reflects the joint quest to excellence driving these two facilities of SEHA.
The event’s faculty includes international, regional and national experts from the UK, Denmark, USA, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Libya and from various institutions in the United Arab Emirates. The motto of the symposium is “cutting edge topics in clinical diabetes and endocrinology”.
Dr. Mahmoud M Benbarka, Consultant Endocrinologist and Head, SKMC Diabetes Clinic at SKMC said “The multidisciplinary program of SKMC’s Diabetes Clinic treats patients with all forms of diabetes and its related complications.
It is a Center of Excellence offering unique and innovative services. The clinic provides a balanced focus on patient care, education, research, and community service.
We attribute our success in diabetes management to the teamwork, dedication and commitment of the clinics’ members, patients’ participation, and to the fact that our approach is proactive and patient centered.
Staff members of the clinic include endocrinologists, primary care physicians, diabetes educators, dietitians, podiatrist, clinical pharmacist, clinical psychologist, diabetes nurses, translators and clerical staff.
The clinic receives patients on a referral only basis from SKMC’s other Outpatient Clinics, as well as from the Family Medicine Clinics, and currently has more than 6000 patients registered”.
“The Diabetes Clinic provides comprehensive services such as patient consultations with doctors and support staff, case management and education by diabetes nurse educators on a daily basis.
Additionally, the clinic provides dietary consultation by dietitians, podiatric services, pharmacy counseling and advice, a 96 hour Continuous Blood Glucose Monitoring program and Insulin Pump Therapy highlighting that SKMC has initiated more than 200 patients on Insulin Pump therapy since the opening of the clinic”, Dr. Benbarka added.
Dr. Salem Beshyah, Consultant Endocrinologist, said, “In addition to the clinic’s contribution to the regular postgraduate activities, the clinic is continuously providing professional educational programs to cater for the accredited CME needs of the medical community in Abu Dhabi.
The clinic has developed a good track record for high quality educational programs. The current research interests of the clinic include studying the characteristics and risk factors for diabetes in the UAE and management of diabetes during Ramadan fasting”.
Dr. Benbarka added “Future focus should be centered around prevention of diabetes and this might be achieved by lifestyle changes leading to healthy lifestyle practices mainly healthy diet and increasing physical activity to reduce obesity and consequently decrease the chances of development of diabetes. This lifestyle change should start during childhood so children will grow up acquiring healthy lifestyle practices.”
WAM