100 Years of Insulin
Published on 15/06/2021
In celebration of the 100 years of Insulin Anniversary, Dasman Diabetes Institute (DDI), a research Institute established by the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences, has held a series of talks and facilitated roundtable discussions with MoH stakeholders across primary and secondary care, as well as the pharmaceutical sector and patient advocates, supported by Novo Nordisk. This was the first time in Kuwait that prominent stakeholders in diabetes care met to discuss the possible options to improve diabetes management in Kuwait.
The event was opened by Dr. Qais Al Duwairi, Director-General of DDI, followed by His Excellency Mr. Ole Moesby, the Ambassador of Denmark, who highlighted the global diabetes burden. Dr. Akin Aksekili, Novo Nordisk Vice-President, also gave a speech to commemorate the 100 years of diabetes care innovation and establish hope for the next generation of diabetes treatments and health solutions.
Dr. Dalal Al Hajeri, representing the primary healthcare sector in Kuwait, discussed the unmet needs in diabetes care and highlighted areas of focus and strengths in primary care. Dr. Peter Kurtzhals, Chief Scientific Advisor of Novo Nordisk, presented an insightful look into the future of diabetes management by detailing the innovations in insulin therapy we can look forward to seeing.
The roundtable discussion was moderated by Dr. Ebaa Al Ozairi, Chief Medical Officer at DDI, focusing on three main themes: improving the prevention of diabetes, advancement of our health care system, and supporting quality care for people with diabetes. ‘We have seen the evolution of diabetes therapies since insulin production first began,’ stated Dr. Ebaa Al Ozairi. ‘Today, we can offer our people with diabetes an array of management and treatment solutions that better suit their lifestyle and help improve quality of life. At DDI, our medical services use the latest research findings and innovations for quality care and treatment.’ Dr. Al Ozairi also highlighted the important role of diabetes clinics at the primary care centers dedicated by MoH and complemented the outstanding jobs done there. DDI has been providing education for nurses from the MoH to better train them in diabetes care to meet the needs of patients across Kuwait.
Dr Qais Al Duwairi stated that ‘At DDI, our teams work tirelessly to create effective programs of research, training, education and health promotion that improve the quality of life of people with diabetes in Kuwait. In celebration of 100 years of insulin, we have created a platform to share a roadmap to improve diabetes care with our partners at MOH, patient’s representative of Blue Circle, and all nonprofit organizations.
