Doha
18 April 2017

Qatar Diabates Association (QDA) in collaboration with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has organised a pre-Ramadan seminar on the topic of ‘Guidelines of safe fasting for Diabetics during Ramadan’ at
Westin Hotel Doha recently.

The seminar was targeted towards the healthcare professionals working in the diabetic clinics at government as well as private hospitals. The focus of the seminar was to update health professionals on latest development in diabetes thus enabling them to effectively treat dietetics’ during Ramadan.

Dr Abdullah Al Hamaq, Executive Director QDA said “People with diabetes are all the way more eager to fast during Ramadan which puts them in a health risk category. Hence, we are promoting the Diabetes and Ramadan practical guidelines.”

Elaborating on the guidelines he said “The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the Diabetes and Ramadan (DAR) International Alliance have come out with a comprehensive guidance for the practitioners to follow their recommendations while dealing with people with diabetes participating in fasting during Ramada while minimizing the risk of complications.

People with diabetes are at particular risk of complications from marked changes in food and fluid intake by virtue of fasting. Potential health hazards include hypoglycaemia, hyperglycaemia, dehydration and acute
metabolic complications such as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) are common during Ramadan.

Dr Mohamed Hassanein, chair of DAR International Alliance, one of the speakers of seminarsaid ‘Many people with diabetes show eagerness to fast during Ramadan despite being exempt. It is important that the decision about whether to fast should be made by an individual in consultation with the physician treating the patient, taking into account the severity of illness and the level of risk involved.

He said that new guidelines can help people make the right decision about whether or not to fast. Since the guidelines are endorsed by the leading muftis of the Arab world hence it very much in compliance with the Islamic law.

Dr. Tarik El Hadd of Qatar Metabolic Institute at HMC the research has shown that nearly 85% of patients with type 2 diabetes and over 50% of those with type 1 diabetes do fast during Ramadan which brings in a significant risk to the patients during holy month. Hence, safety of these patients during Ramadan is of utmost importance.

“The guidelines drafted by DAR needs to be propagated because they are based on the available evidence and can enable physicians to advise diabetes patients regarding safe fasting and todays seminar is a platform for health professionals to share knowledge about the treatment for diabetes patent,” Hadd said.

Various advises such as to drink plenty of flued between the Suhour and Iftar, to delay the Suhour as long as possible before al Fajr if taken care can make fasting safer for diabetics. Acceptable blood glucose levels
during fasting should be bwtween 100-200 mg/dL.

For questions or inquiries during Ramadan, one may contact QDA hotline on: 44547311 or 55274919 from 08:30 am until 01:30 pm.

For medication instruction or more information, one may contact HMC & PHC hotline on: 55981331 from 08:00 pm until 11:00 pm.