Diabetes on the rise despite awareness campaigns

Wednesday, 11 November 2015 14:20

The number of diabetes sufferers in the GCC has doubled in the past 15 years, despite a rise in awareness campaigns and free screenings. That’s according to a report by the Economist Intelligence Unit, which concludes that policymakers need to do more to combat the disease in the region. Diabetes statistics in the six-bloc nation range from 16% to 23%, more than double the global average of 8%. In the UAE, a fifth of the population are diabetics. The report has been released ahead of World Diabetes Day on November 14. Jan Van der Goten is the managing director of Janssen GCC, which commissioned the study.

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