Dubai, Oct 23 (IANS/WAM): The Ministry of Health and Prevention of the United Arab Emirates (UAE)has launched an early detection programme for diabetes throughout 10 of its primary health care centres in country.

Launched on Sunday in co-operation with Johnson and Johnson, the move falls in line with the ministry's strategy to address non-communicable diseases and increase the effectiveness of following up on highly-vulnerable patients.

The health centres covered by the new programme are located in Sharjah, Dubai, Ajman, Ras al-Khaimah, Fujairah

The programme targets all adult patients who have risk factors, such as obesity, high blood pressure, family history of diabetes and smoking, in addition to educating some 100 members of the nursing staff.

Haifa Hamad Fares, Head of the Ministry of Health and Prevention's Primary Health Care Programme Section, said that the ministry aims to use the awareness campaign, launched in March this year, to reach the largest segment of society, as part of its efforts to combat non-communicable diseases, especially diabetes.

The move is aimed at improving the results of the national indicator of the proportion of the population with diabetes, as part of its strategy to provide comprehensive and integrated health care in innovative and sustainable ways.