Ministry of Health strengthens proactive diabetes prevention

The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening early prevention on World Diabetes Day, observed annually on November 14, under this year’s theme, “Act Early on Diabetes,” through early detection, proactive intervention, and continuity of care to improve community health and quality of life.

Ahmed bin Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of Health and Prevention, stated that, under the guidance of the UAE’s wise leadership, the country continues to strengthen its focus on proactive prevention rather than treating disease after it develops, in line with its commitment to improving health outcomes and reducing the burden of chronic diseases.

The minister explained that approximately 1.3 million adults in the UAE are living with diabetes, representing one in five adults, while diabetes costs the national economy approximately AED 9 billion annually. If current trends continue, the International Diabetes Federation projects that the number of people living with diabetes in the UAE could rise to approximately 1.9 million by 2050.

He added, “However, this future is not inevitable. Strengthening prevention over the next 15 years could enable us to save approximately 32,000 lives, add around 221,000 years of healthy life to our population, and avoid an estimated AED 20 billion in economic losses by encouraging physical activity, improving care for people living with diabetes, and adopting policies that make healthier choices easier.”

Al Sayegh highlighted the UAE’s leading models in comprehensive preventive health screening, particularly Abu Dhabi’s “IFHAS” programme and the “Etmenan” programme provided by Emirates Health Services. He explained that efforts are underway to expand and standardise preventive screening at the federal level, with the longer-term objective of making screening mandatory by linking it to health insurance requirements.

He encouraged members of the community to adopt a health-conscious approach centred on understanding risk factors and taking the initiative to undergo early and regular screening, emphasising that diabetes prevention begins before symptoms appear.

These efforts form part of the updated National Diabetes and Obesity Control Plan 2026–2030, which focuses on prevention, early detection, and continuity of care, in alignment with the objectives of the “We the UAE 2031” vision.

The ministry is also preparing to make Type 1 diabetes a key priority by strengthening awareness of its symptoms and warning signs and expanding early screening for children at higher risk to reduce delayed diagnosis and associated complications.

The National Committee for Combating Diabetes and Obesity, chaired by Dr. Hussein Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for the Public Health Sector, has approved a package of priority initiatives for 2026 and 2027. These include follow-up care for women who have experienced gestational diabetes, the development of healthy lifestyle clinics, and early detection of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease among individuals living with diabetes, prediabetes, and obesity.