الملخص الإنجليزي
Diabetes mellitus is currently one of the most challenging public health problems worldwide. With a marked increase in its prevalence, it is reaching epidemic proportions in many countries. Globally, the diabetes rate has risen by 45% over the past two decades. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) estimated that the number of adults affected by diabetes in 2013 was 387 million, with a projected increase of up to 592 million by 2035. In Arab countries, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus has increased dramatically over the past 30 years.4 According to the IDF, three Arabian Gulf countries are among the top 10 countries in the world with the highest prevalence of diabetes: Saudi Arabia (24%), Kuwait (23.1%) and Qatar (22.9%). he initiative of a National Diabetes Centre in Oman in March 2013 was the first step towards creating an organisational body for awareness and diabetic care in the country; this centre should be further strengthened and expanded to provide better diabetic healthcare. This could be achieved by establishing regional diabetes centres in each governorate of Oman. These centres should be equipped with all the necessary medications and resources needed for diabetic patients and have a diabetologist, diabetes nurse and dietician on staff. The role of these regional centres should not be limited solely to treating diabetic patients, but should also aim to prevent diabetes and its complications. This may be achieved by implementing health education campaigns in local communities and creating groups for peer support and patient empowerment. The presence of these centres in all regions of Oman would facilitate patient compliance, help in lowering the number of undiagnosed diabetes cases and prevent a further increase in diabetes prevalence. A low-cost alternative to this would be to hold outreach clinics, where diabetic experts could travel to underprivileged areas and conduct educational, diagnostic and therapeutic campaigns. Finally, the continuous training of primary healthcare professionals in diabetes care and prevention is an essential tool for improving the management of diabetes in Oman.
