ABU DHABI: The Ministry of Health and Prevention, MoHAP, today signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Sanofi to cooperate in implementing “Kids” program which aims to safeguard school students from diabetes.
The agreement aims to enhance awareness about diabetes and the benefits of eating healthy food and engaging in physical activity among school students, as well as to encourage a safe and supportive school environment for diabetic children.
This would help enable the children and their families, and nurses to deal with diabetes and avoid discrimination.
The MoU was signed at MoHAP headquarters by H.E. Dr. Hussein Abdel Rahman Al-Rand, Undersecretary of the Ministry’s Health Assistant Sector, Health Centers and Clinics, and Jean-Paul Scheuer, Country Chair and General Manager, Sanofi, in the presence of HE Dr. Mohamed Salim Al Olama, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health and Prevention, MoHAP and company officials.
A Supportive School Environment for Children with Diabetes
The program aims to promote a better understanding of the impact of diabetes on kids and the importance of adopting healthy lifestyles and engaging in physical activity, where schools play a key role in protecting children with diabetes.
Also, the “Kids” program is meant to highlight the role of families and community in students’ interaction with awareness-raising programs and enhance a supportive school environment for diabetic children to achieve effective management for their illness.
Non-Communicable Disease Prevention
In this regard, Dr. Hussein Abdel Rahman Al-Rand said: “The MoU is part of MoHAP’s efforts to strengthen its strategic partnership with the international medical companies specializing in non-communicable diseases, implement effective preventive and therapeutic interventions, encourage school students to adopt healthy lifestyles, provide a positive environment to help diabetic children to deal with their disease optimally, and to foster cooperation with relevant government entities in implementing the initiative.”
He added that MoHAP pays great attention to the students’ segment in terms of planning and implementing awareness pathways for diabetes, stressing that MoHAP will continue to partner with the private medical sector thanks to its supportive role in achieving MoHAP’s objectives in the healthcare field.
Al-Rand expressed happiness with the cooperation with Sanofi to raise awareness, develop medical practices, and educate patients under the “Kids” program umbrella, pointing out these efforts are part of MoHAP’s trends to strengthen a sustainable health environment.
UAE Leadership in Controlling Diabetes
“The UAE is among the best five countries adopting the highest standards to control the prevalence of diabetes in the Middle East and North Africa. This success is attributed to the several programs and initiatives launched by the country’s health authorities,” he noted.
Concluding his remarks, Al-Rand highlighted MoHAP’s role in developing academic research-based health policies, tailoring the required criteria and frameworks for the provision of a better healthcare system, and providing means of prevention and treatment of diseases and epidemics.
A Fruitful Partnership with MoHAP
For his part, Jean-Paul Scheuer said: “We are pleased to partner with MoHAP to further support its efforts in preventing diabetes among school students and we are well-prepared to carry out our commitments under this MoU. This includes planning for events in public and private schools to raise awareness, educating children about diabetes, providing educational brochures, training nurses in schools, conducting educational workshops at school, and organizing initiative-related public events.” He added: “We also pleased to help raise awareness, develop medical practices and provide educational services to deal with patients and apply best practices from prevention to care, thanks to Sanofi’s experience in Research & Development field.” News Desk
