Source: http://www.dailystar.com.lb

BEIRUT: The Health Ministry will be sponsoring a week of free diabetes testing beginning Wednesday at all public health centers, caretaker Health Minister Ali Hasan Khalil announced Tuesday. The ministry held a conference at Lebanese University’s headquarters in Beirut’s Mathaf neighborhood to mark World Diabetes Day. At the conference, Khalil, health care providers and other leaders from the ministry highlighted statistics and the need for better preventive measures to fight the disease.

Globally, one person dies from and another two are diagnosed with diabetes every two seconds, head of the Order of Pharmacists Rabih Hassouna said. Diabetes harms the heart and blood vessels and is the cause of death for 50 percent of those diagnosed with the disease, Hassouna said, citing recent statistics by the World Health Organization.

For several years, the Health Ministry has closely followed the rise of diabetes in the country, as well, said Walid Ammar, general director of the ministry. It has established a national committee and awareness program to fight and educate about the disease.

In spite of limited resources, Ammar said, the ministry has seen tangible results since the start of its awareness programs. Knowledge is the single-most important weapon in fighting noncommunicable diseases, he said.

Ammar tipped his hat to the scores of NGOs and media outlets inspiring people to change their behavior and prevent the onset of diabetes.

Former First Lady Mona Hrawi, head of the Constant Care Center for Diabetes, underscored diabetes’ effect on young people as well.

The center provides care to 1,800 young people aged between 3 months and 30 years old. Hrawi said the center focused on insulin-dependent diabetics and provided them with medicine, as well as nutritional, psychological and social support.