Diabetes is a serious concern for the UAE as 19.2 per cent of the population has been diagnosed with the disease, according to a new data from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF).

These startling figures were released at a event accredited by the Ministry of Health and the Dubai Health Authority and which was attended by participants from major private and public hospitals across the UAE.

The new IDF data also highlighted the diabetes associated consequences for both the patients and the economy.

Servier Pharmaceutical Company, a leading French medical firm, yesterday launched the 'Physicians’ Educational Day' event to highlight the diabetes epidemic in the emirates.

The physicians meeting also discussed key issues on how to diagnose diabetes effectively, assess the risk of cardiovascular damage in diabetic patients, and how to effectively manage medication to avoid renal and cardiovascular complications while keeping diabetes in check.

'Latest international guidelines recommend that physicians use Gliclazide MR (Diamicron MR 60mg) to control diabetes and its complications after the drug’s strong performance in the Advance trial, considered the largest ever trial in the history of diabetes,' said Professor Yehia Ghanem, the professor of Internal Medicine, Diabetes and Metabolism Department Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt.

'Advance’s new results, announced at the World Diabetes Congress in December 2011, showed that the regular use of Gliclazide MR can avoid kidney failure in 65 per cent of diabetic patients with type 2 diabetes (2 out of 3) compared to groups treated with other medications,' he added.

IDF president Prof Jean Claude Mbanya said Diabetes was a serious concern for the UAE, and the medical community was realizing the need for effective and trusted partners in innovation to deliver drugs that effectively control diabetes and treat its consequences.

'Reputed drugs such as Gliclazde MR and Metformin are commonly prescribed by healthcare providers in the country, in addition to newer medications which have less scientific evidence about their ability to protect against diabetes complications, or safety in long term use,' remarked Mbanya, also the professor of Medicine and Endocrinology Faculty of Medicine, University of Yaoundé, Cameroon.

“Diabetes is an epidemic that costs lives and also imposes economic burdens. The medical and scientific communities must cooperate in treating this epidemic with resources and medications that offer scientific proof of efficacy and show discernable results in improving patient well-being,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service