Doha, 13 November 2024: Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Diabetes and Endocrinology Section has successfully launched the DAFNE (Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating) structured education program for individuals with Type 1 diabetes. The program was introduced in collaboration with the DAFNE Program in the United Kingdom and Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health.
The structured education initiative is led by Dr. Dabia Al Mohanadi, Senior Consultant and Head of the Diabetes and Endocrinology Section in the Department of Medicine at Hamad General Hospital and Mesaieed General Hospital. The program aims to help patients manage Type 1 diabetes effectively, it is a chronic condition that affects insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, resulting in minimal or no insulin production. The program also aims at enabling adults with Type 1 diabetes to lead as normal a life as possible while maintaining blood glucose levels within healthy targets to reduce the risk of long-term diabetes complications.
The National Diabetes Strategy (2016-2022), alongside the upcoming Action Plan on Diabetes, Obesity, and Cardiovascular Diseases under the National Health Strategy (2024-2030), emphasizes the importance of empowering Type 1 diabetes patients through structured education programs. The DAFNE program provides comprehensive training in carbohydrate counting, insulin management and the use of technology in diabetes care. Qatar has taken the initiative to translate the DAFNE curriculum into Arabic, resulting in a localized educational resource that enhances training outcomes. Additionally, a quality assurance team has been established and trained to collect and analyze data before, during and after the training, which is essential for program reaccreditation.
Dr. Dabia Al Mohanadi said: “As the main provider of secondary and specialized healthcare for diabetes patients in Qatar, HMC is the primary referral center for all adults diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Therefore, launching the DAFNE program under HMC’s umbrella was a priority.”
Dr. Khaled Ashawesh, Senior Consultant of Diabetes and Endocrinology, said: “In July 2023, HMC’s Diabetes and Endocrinology Section signed a Consortium Agreement and a Service Level Assurance Agreement with DAFNE Organization in the United Kingdom after fulfilling all necessary requirements. The program is currently operational at both Hamad General Hospital and Mesaieed General Hospital.”
Dr. Khaled Baagar, Senior Consultant of Diabetes and Endocrinology, noted that the structured education program is implemented by multidisciplinary teams comprising physicians, health educators and dietitians at Hamad General Hospital, along with a team at Mesaieed General Hospital.
Dr. Hamda Abdullah, Senior Consultant of Diabetes and Endocrinology, said: “Eleven staff members have been trained in the DAFNE program, including five physicians, three educators and three dietitians.”
DAFNE program participants attend one session per week for five weeks, covering the entire educational period, followed by an additional three-week observation period to monitor individual outcomes. Many Type 1 diabetes patients have successfully completed the program at both Hamad and Mesaieed Hospitals.
The DAFNE structured education program aims to expand in 2025 to accommodate a larger number of patients through a “Train the Trainer” program, which will contribute to further capacity. Plans are also underway to open a dedicated DAFNE clinic at both Hamad General Hospital and Mesaieed General Hospital to evaluate patients before and after training. HMC will continue its collaboration with the DAFNE Program in the United Kingdom to further develop the local curriculum of the program, improve service delivery, enhance quality assurance and uphold the highest standards in patient outcomes.
