The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will establish diabetes centers in Dubai and northern emirates for providing curative and educational services to the public, local newspaper Khaleej Times reported on Sunday.

"Specialized centers for providing treatment as well as health education on diabetes will be established in Dubai and the northern emirates to face health hazards posed by prevalence of the disease in the UAE society," Nassir Al Bidoor, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health, was quoted as saying.

According to the health official, a diabetes center in Dubai has been ready and is now functional on a trial basis. A second center will be set up within four months in the northern emirate of Ajman.

"A higher national committee, comprising members from public and private health authorities in the country, will be formed to upgrade diabetic patients' rehabilitation programs and devise projects to enhance performance of the proposed centers," he said.

According to the latest national study in the UAE, diabetes, a disorder of metabolism in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, is spreading at the rate of 19.6 percent in the country.

It makes the UAE "among the three countries with the highest rate of diabetes prevalence," Al Bidoor said.

Recent findings of the Gulf Committee on Eradication of Diabetes had indicated that 20-25 percent of citizens in the region were suffering from the disease, he added.

Source: Xinhua