BD1m centre new hope for diabetics.

Byline: REBECCA TORR

HEALTH officials yesterday announced a new BD1 - million diabetes education centre, as a 26-year-old diabetic woman who lost both her feet and a kidney for neglecting her condition urged Bahrainis to listen to their doctor.

The new centre will be based in A'ali and focus on diabetes education and rehabilitation.

It was announced by Health Ministry's school health services chief Dr Mariam Harmas, who said the three-storey centre would include a swimming pool, a gym and the offices of the Bahrain Diabetes Society (BDS).

Sponsors are currently being sought for the project, which was announced along with figures that show the number of people in Bahrain suffering from type one (insulin dependent) diabetes has more than doubled since 1993.

Bahrain has the highest incidences of diabetes in the region and figures are increasing, warned Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) consultant paediatrician, endocrinologist and diabetologist Dr Mansoor Rajab.

In 1993, he said type one diabetes affected seven to eight people per 100,000, but now there are 20 in every 100,000 with the condition.

He added there were now 1,000 children in Bahrain with type one diabetes.

Meanwhile, type two diabetes (non-insulin dependent) is also increasing in children as a result of sedentary lifestyles and poor diets, he said.

In adults, type one and type two diabetes now affects around 25 per cent of men and 35pc of women, revealed Dr Rajab.

The alarming figures were discussed during a visit by Arab Children Health Congress (ACHC) 2007 ambassador Habiba Al Tawqi, who has been in Bahrain since Saturday.

She has been speaking to diabetic children about the importance of controlling their illness through medication and a healthy lifestyle.

Ms Al Tawqi has so far met children from the Bahrain Diabetes Society (BDS) and various schools, but will today visit diabetic children at SMC.

She lost both her feet and a kidney because she was inconsistent with her medication and neglected her diet.

The Omani tourism graduate has been diabetic since she was two-years-old, but only developed problems in 1998 when she started rebelling against her doctors and parents' advice.

"I started ignoring my medication and was not taking care of myself," she explained at a Press conference held at the Correspondents Club, Juffair, yesterday.

"In 1998, I developed kidney failure, lost my kidney and went on dialysis for four years and it wasn't easy.

"I had 16 to 18 operations and had complications, and in 2001, I went for a kidney transplant.

"I was happy because there was no more dialysis, but still this wasn't a lesson - I continued to ignore my medication and doctors advice."

As a result Ms Al Tawqi lost both her feet because the blood was not circulating properly.

"I learnt how to fight, I told myself I must fight - I don't want to lose anything else," said the 26-year-old, who is visiting diabetic children in Bahrain and other Arab countries to share her story.

"My main aim now is to speak to mainly teenagers because they can be vulnerable and make them understand diabetes."

Dubai Health and Medical Services clinical nutrition and diabetics department head, Wafaa Ayesh, said diabetic patients could live a long life if they took their medication and maintained a healthy diet and exercise.

"In the region there are a lot of people who have lost their kidneys and sight and that's why we want to give them this message to take their medication and check their sugar," she said.

The three-day visit of Ms Al Tawqi and Ms Ayesh to Bahrain was held under the patronage of Princess Haya bint Al Hussain, wife of Dubai ruler Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, with the co-operation of BDS president Shaikh Dr Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa.

The next ACHC will be held from March 24 to 27 in Dubai.

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