Volume 1 number 1 Summer 2003
Special issue for the abstracts of the 7th Pan Arab Conference on Diabetes
PACD7 , 25 – 28 March 2003 Cairo

Abstract Number : 76
Diabetes Mellitus in Palestine

Dr. Suhail S. Kishawi, MoH Advisor in Endocrinology & Diabetes, Head of Medical Department, Shifa Hospital, Gaza Palestine

Developing countries are experiencing dramatic changes in the health needs of their populations, due to the so-called "epidemiological transition" which is taking place. Non-communicable diseases (NCD's), including cancer, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases are fast replacing the traditional enemies: infectious diseases and malnutrition as the leading causes of disability and premature death. This trend will continue and by the year 2020, NCD's are expected to account for seven out of every ten deaths in the developing regions, compared with less than half today.

Diabetes mellitus, especially type 2 diabetes is a serious disease and a cause for growing public health concern in both developed and developing countries. In many countries, it is now a leading cause of death, disability and a high health care cost. These facts have been highlighted in World Health Report 1997. In addition, diabetes is no longer a disease of the affluent; it is now a third world problem and the developing countries will bear the brunt of the diabetes epidemic in the 21st century.

In Palestine, diabetes mellitus also seems to be a serious health problem among population especially in the middle-aged group. This fact could be concluded form global estimates of the WHO and by extrapolation from similar ethnogenetically populations of neighboring countries.

Prevalence rate of diabetes mellitus in Palestine has been estimated by a study conducted in 2000 in cooperation with Al Quds University. It involved a random sample of 4,000 individual aged between 18-64 years and distributed equally for both sexes in the 15 governorates of Palestine. The sample was divided according to population density where 40% of the sample was from Gaza Strip (southern governorates) and 60% from West Bank including Al Quds (northern governorates). The preliminary results indicated that the prevalence DM in Palestine is about 9% in 2000. It is around the reported prevalence rate in Egypt and Tunisia (9%) and less than in Saudi Arabia (12%) and Oman (13%).

Despite of deficient statistical data and the prevailing political situations that are affecting negatively all aspects of our lives, there are real efforts on the national level to organize and implement a unified strategy for the prevention and control of diabetes in Palestine.
Also great efforts are done in the domain of strengthening the surveillance of diabetes and improving the services in cooperation with Quality Improvement Project (QIP) in the ministry of health. Training of physicians and nurses in diabetes knowledge preparing diabetes care teams distributed all over primary health care centers, improve patient flies using special diabetes file, establishment database for dialectic patients and establishing an appointment system for patients which will help to decentralize this service and improve quality of service. Also updated Palestinian guidelines for diagnosis and management of diabetes mellitus was prepared by a special team to be the guide for all dealing with care of diabetic patients on the national level to implement a unified strategy.
Relevant demographic and statistical data will presented and will be available in a full report. 

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