DOHA: The Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has brought in a renowned diabetes specialist and endocrinologist to support its efforts to tackle the rising incidence of diabetes and metabolic diseases in the country.
The International Diabetes Federation has indicated that the prevalence of diabetes in Qatar is about 20 percent, HMC said yesterday, while announcing the appointment of Professor Abdul Badi Abou Samra (pictured), as Chair of the Department of Medicine.
Abou Samra is a specialist in the fields of biochemistry, endocrinology, internal medicine and molecular biology.
HMC is currently in the process of establishing a dedicated, one-stop, multidisciplinary diabetes centre within Hamad General Hospital, bringing together a range of services under one roof.
The clinic will be staffed by physicians, dieticians, patient educators and podiatrists and will offer a variety of services including an eye clinic and insulin pump clinic. Due to be operational by mid- 2013, the centre will play an important role in the treatment and management of diabetes in Qatar.
“Professor Abou-Samra will be a key figure in the future design and operation of our National Diabetes Centre and he will help us to lead research in this field to tackle diabetes. His experience and expertise in diabetes will be invaluable in supporting and developing our current initiatives in this area,” said HMC Managing Director Dr Hanan Al Kuwari
Abou-Samra has held previous roles as Professor of Medicine and Chief of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan.
His career includes senior academic and hospital appointments at the Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital and Lyon University in France, among others.
“I look forward to working with the committed team at HMC on improved treatments for people living with diabetes in Qatar as well as finding innovative and long lasting ways to prevent its spread,” Professor Abou-Samra said of his new role.
The peninsula
