Executive Director of Medical Services - National Guard Health Affairs - the Western Region Dr. Mohammed Ahmed Al-Zahrani launched the 15th Diabetes Educator Course on Sunday, the 3rd of March 2019 at the Lectures Hall - King Abdulaziz Medical City – Jeddah. The course will last for 5 weeks in collaboration with King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences.
The ceremony began with a reciting from holy Qura’an, followed by a speech given by the Executive Director of Medical Services - National Guard Health Affairs - the Western Region Dr. Mohammed Ahmed Al-Zahrani where he stated that diabetes is a chronic disease that requires the integrated care of many of the health workers, as well as the nursing staff in addition to nutritionists and rehabilitation therapists and follow-up specialists in nephrology and ophthalmology to prevent and treat complications that may occur as a result of this disease. Parallel to this integrated team, the patient should be one of the vital members in treating himself by education about the disease and awareness about the complications that may in addition to the methods of treatment and the importance of maintaining medical advice regarding nutrition and how to give medicines.
Ms. Iman Al Agl also stated that this course comes within the activities of the Diabetes Program in King Abdulaziz Medical City, and added that education and awareness are essential to coping with this dangerous and chronic disease, and a strong aid for patients to live normally away from its complications. She explained that the aim of the course is to increase the number of both male and female educators as well as giving students the necessary skills and background information to enhance the role of diabetes educators.
Lastly, Dr. Abdulaziz Al Twaim, consultant, Head of Pediatric Endocrinology and the Chairman of the Organizing Committee, Said that there are 40 trainees participating in this course who have a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing and Clinical Nutrition from various health sectors from the Kingdom and the Gulf region and they will receive an intensive program on the basics of health education for diabetics with 30 CME hours.