UAE, April 7, 2016 – As part of its upcoming celebrations of World Health Day 2016 to be held under the theme ‘Beat Diabetes,’ the Ministry of Health and Prevention’s Health Promotion Department has launched a mini-clinic for diabetes in collaboration with Rashid Center for Diabetes as part of a series of awareness campaigns being implemented across the UAE. H.E. Dr. Hussein Abdel-Rahman Al Rand, Undersecretary of the Ministry’s Health and Prevention Assistant Sector – Health Centers and Clinics, have launched the event.

The scheduled events will include numerous medical examinations such as blood sugar and blood pressure tests, body mass index, eye and foot exams, nutrition counseling, and free consultations at the Ministry’s office in Dubai. Started today (April 7, 2016) and onwards, the public can access these services at the Economic Development Department in Sharjah and Ajman, Za’beel Park, and various shopping centers such as Fujairah and Mirdif City Centre, Sahara Centre, and Dubai Festival City. The Ministry will also launch several social media competitions and hold raffle draws, giving away major prizes from its partners such as ClickOn. The competitions aim to attract high public participation and achieve the campaign’s objectives.

H.E. Dr. Al Rand noted that the Ministry’s strategies include promoting a healthy lifestyle in local communities to curb the disease and other related illnesses by focusing on strengthening health education as one of the main priorities, and launching a series of programs to raise community awareness on prevention and healthcare programs. The Ministry aims to urge the public to take preventive measures to avoid the disease and encourage the adoption of good health habits to ensure quality life.

Dr. Fadila Sharif, Director of the Health Education and Promotion Department, said the mini-clinic will help reinforce the health system to ensure better monitoring and prevention as well as increase the effectiveness of appropriate management to reduce the number of cases of Type 1 diabetes and other types. The region is considered one of the areas with the highest prevalence rate of diabetes in the world.

This year’s World Health Day focuses on the illness to raise awareness, promote prevention, and help diabetics avoid complications through physical activity, healthy eating, and early diagnosis. Every year, about 1.5 million people die from complications of the disease.