Diabetes a burden on Bahrain's healthcare budget

Bahrain - Fifteen per cent of the country’s healthcare budget goes towards medicines for treatment of diabetes.

This was revealed yesterday by Supreme Council for Health (SCH) chairman Dr Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, who also said the budget for diabetes treatment made up 10pc of health expenditures internationally.

He said raising awareness about diabetes and its prevention was necessary to combat the disease and to limit national spending on treatments.

He was speaking at the second edition of Bahrain Diabetes and Endocrinology Conference (BDER 2020), which opened yesterday at the Gulf Hotel Bahrain’s Al Dana Hall.

“Diabetes treatment budgets make up 10pc of health expenditures internationally,” said Dr Shaikh Mohammed.

“In Bahrain, 15pc of the budget of the country’s Health Ministry is spent on diabetes medicines.

“Such conferences are important in a way to spread more awareness, so that we can limit the spending on the treatment of diabetes, which is a global concern, including the GCC.”

The two-day forum features over 25 expert speakers from across the globe, presenting the latest advancements in the field of diabetes, endocrinology and metabolism.

It is being organised by the Royal Bahrain Hospital (RBH) in co-operation with QTC and ICOM and supported by the Arabian Gulf University, Bahrain Diabetic Society and the National Health

Regulatory Authority.

Dr Shaikh Mohammed highlighted efforts by the government to provide high standard services for diabetic and endocrine patients in the country through comprehensive health coverage and specialised primary healthcare clinics for treating chronic diseases and diabetes.

“Diabetes has become a burden on the countries of the Middle East and North Africa, especially with the significant increase in the number of people affected in these countries,” he said in his opening address.

Strategies

“We need to allocate budgets and at the same time have effective strategies to limit the spread of this disease, which include early detection.”

The global diabetes prevalence in 2019 is estimated to be 9.3pc (463 million people), rising to 10.2pc (578m) by 2030 and 10.9pc (700m) by 2045.

The prevalence is higher in urban areas (10.8pc) compared to rural ones (7.2pc), and in high-income countries (10.4pc) compared to low-income ones (4pc).

“Global statistics indicate about 463m people with diabetes in the world and the largest part of it are in the Mena countries,” added Dr Shaikh Mohammed.

“Statistics also indicate that 374m people have pre-diabetes, a category which needs more attention.

“It needs care, prevention and more awareness campaigns and those affected themselves should take a firm stand on proper lifestyles.”

The GDN previously reported that Bahrain has the third highest obesity rates in the Gulf, a key risk factor leading to diabetes. It is at 20pc among males and 38pc among females.

Fifteen per cent of adults in Bahrain also have a form of diabetes, according to latest statistics.

Conference president and RBH Diabetes and Endocrinology senior consultant Dr Wiam Hussein said one of the main aims of the event was discussing technological updates in the treatment of diabetes.

“The conference sessions will discuss modern techno

logical treatment methods for the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes and endocrinology for all ages,” he said.

“It will, for the first time, see the presentation of specialised

working papers in the field of paediatric treatment, including the latest developments in research results and treatment methods to provide a safe and sustainable life for people with this disease from those age groups.”

An exhibition featuring private facilities and healthcare groups offering medical care was also opened on the sidelines of the conference.

Present at the opening ceremony was Health Ministry Public Health assistant under-secretary Dr Maryam Al Hajeri, and Kims Healthcare Group chief executive Dr Sharif Sahadulla, among others.

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