MUSCAT: The Ministry of Health (MoH), represented by the National Diabetes & Endocrine Center and Oman Diabetes Association, launched on Thursday the 4th edition of the National Diabetes Mellitus Clinical Management Guidelines.
Held via video conference, the launching ceremony was held under the patronage of Dr Ahmed Mohammed al Saeedi, Minister of Health.
The Minister of Health praised the efforts of the joint teamwork who prepared the manual, stressed at the same time on the importance of activating the manual's guidelines in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.
Furthermore, Al Saidi pointed out that diabetes is a global health problem, which needs to enhance the disease prevention efforts and dealing with the risk factors in coordinating with all other related stockholders.
The manual, which was prepared under the supervision of Oman Diabetes Association, involved several authorities concerned namely; Ministry of Health (Hospitals of Royal, Khoula & Al-Nahda, National Diabetes & Endocrine Center, Directorate General of Medical Supplies, Directorate General of Primary Healthcare), Oman Diabetes Association, Armed Forces Hospital and Sultan Qaboos University Hospital.
Dr Noor Bader Al Busaidi; Director of National Diabetes & Endocrine Center and President of Oman Diabetes Association pointed out that in view of the national requirement, twenty-four task force experts from participating institutes excelled in adapting the latest knowledge and scientific evidences to our needs and consensually agreed on the content presented in this edition of guideline.
She added that the manual contains nine sections covering the entire spectrum of the clinical management of type 1 and type 2 Diabetes Mellitus including the management of gestational diabetes, diabetes in pregnancy and diabetes in Ramadhan.
Two sections in this edition are completely new, and cover obesity management in persons with diabetes and diabetes in the adolescents. These go thoroughly in discussing how physicians should manage diabetes in these special situations. The manual also encompasses the latest pharmacological therapies and clinical approaches to the management. It will help health care physicians in providing a good standardized diabetes care.
The Director of National Diabetes & Endocrine Center stressed that the prevalence of diabetes is still high, around 14.5 per cent among Omanis as per the last survey conducted in 2017. Overweight and obesity combined is present in 67 per cent of the population, and over 41 per cent of the population is not engaging in sufficient daily physical activity.
In addition, the launching ceremony gathered Prof Andrew J Boulton, President of International Diabetes Federation who gave a lecture on global & regional perspectives of diabetes.
The manual aims to upgrade the diabetes treatment in the Sultanate and develop clinical guidelines for all the physicians in the Sultanate on these diseases in term of causes, diagnosis, treatment and prevention methods, as well as training the physicians and strengthening their scientific and practical skills in this regard. - ONA
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