DOHA THERE are over 400 children aged between 6 and 12 affected with type 1 diabetes (juvenile diabetes) in the country, according to Qatar Diabetes Association (QDA) Executive Director Dr Abdulla al Hamaq.
Speaking on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the 13th Al Bawasil Camp for children with diabetes on Sunday, he said there were about half a million diabetic children in the world with an annual increase of about 70,000 cases.
“In Qatar, the incidence rate is 23 percent per 100,000 population for type 1 diabetes. According to International Diabetes Federation (IDF) there is an annual increase of three percent of type 1 diabetes worldwide.
The prevalence rate for type 2 diabetes is about 16.7 percent,” he said.
According to Hamaq, usually the conference hosts children with diabetes from Qatar and MENA region but this year the camp is hosting children from all over the world.
Sponsored by Eljaish Sports Club, 60 children aged between seven and eleven years are participating in a week-long learning and activity- driven event at Aspire.
The conference is scheduled to conclude on February 21.
Countries represented include Morocco, Lebanon, Yemen, Bahrain, Jamaica, Sudan, Palestine, Iraq, Libya, Egypt, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Saudia Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar. The opening was marked with songs and dances showcasing Qatari heritage.
“The incidence of type 1 diabetes among children is increasing in many countries; the overall annual increase is estimated to be around three percent. The QDA’s mission is to help people with diabetes, with the hope of improving the overall quality of life for the affected. It is important to provide innovative care, education, research and organizing regional and global camps for such patients. The mission of this camp is to create a safe and loving environment for children with diabetes, to teach them how to self-control diabetes and avoid its complications in order to reach their full potential,” said Hamaq.
He said that in order to raise the confidence level of parents, the QDA has set up a diabetic programme to address the psychological and physical challenges.
The camp will enable participants to exchange views and share experiences.
QDA Camp Manager Noura al Ibrahim said, “We believe that learning is one of those rights for children with diabetes and we worked on increasing the educational activities so that they could get as much information as they could in a fun-filled environment,” she said.
Rashida Shafiq, a participant from Uganda said participating in the camp would help her in managing diabetes.
“I learnt how to control diabetes while exercising and more about carbohydrates so I could know how to choose my diet,” she said.
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