Thousands to Be Tested During Diabetes Screening and Education Events at Mosques

Hamad Medical Corporation will kick off its Ramadan diabetes screening and education events this Friday at Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Mohamed Al Abdulrahman Al Thani Mosque in Al Rayyan. Following Friday’s prayers, 15 screening stands staffed by trained diabetes nurses and educators will be set up in the entrance hallway of the mosque as part of Hamad’s annual Ramadan health awareness campaign. 

“Attendance for prayers at mosques tends to increase during the holy month so these screenings, which have become an annual event for Hamad, present an opportune time to screen the local community for diabetes and to help individuals understand the signs and symptoms of the disease. The events also provide an opportunity for our trained diabetes experts to talk with diabetic patients and to offer advice on managing their condition and eating healthily during Ramadan,” said Professor Abdul-Badi Abou-Samra, Chairman of Internal Medicine at HMC and Director of the Qatar Metabolic Institute.

With events planned for Othman Bin Affan Mosque in Al Khor on Friday, 16 June and Abdulghani Abduljalil Mosque in Al Wakra on Friday, 23 June, thousands are expected to visit the screening stands where they will receive a personalized analysis of their results. According to Mrs. Manal Othman, Director of Diabetes Educator at HMC, more than 3,150 worshippers were screened as part of events held last year during Ramadan.

“Screening for diabetes and pre-diabetes provides us with an opportunity to start an important conversation. It allows us to identify individuals who do not know they are diabetic and to help those who are pre-diabetic, or at risk of becoming pre-diabetic, by talking to them about prevention programs, treatment, and care,” said Ms. Othman.

Community screenings have become an important part of Hamad’s diabetes community outreach program and have been successfully used in schools, workplaces, places of worship and other locations to help members of the public learn about the health risks of diabetes.

HMC is also organizing a series of other events, including corporate education and awareness sessions. During the month of Ramadan, a phone-based emergency service which allows patients with diabetes, their relatives or caregivers, to call and ask for medical advice related to diabetes and fasting is available. The hotline (5598 1331) is operational from 8am to 11pm, seven days a week.

For tips and information about living with diabetes during Ramadan, and the rest of the year, visit diabetes.hamad.qa. The website contains a full listing of events planned during the month of Ramadan and has helpful resources such as a cookbook with diabetic-friendly versions of recipes for popular dishes such as biryani and thereed.