Abstract

The number of people living with diabetes is growing due to population growth, aging and urbanization. The current Diabetes Epidemic is expected to conti nue parallel with the rising rates of overweight cases/obesity and reduced physical activity. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) had witnessed enormous changes in lifestyle and wealth over the past few de cades; moving from rather primitive to a highly mo dernized lifestyle , with unhealthy eating habits and physical inactivity seen as the major culprits. Recent advances in knowledge and therapy had raised the quality of effective care for those with di abetes and dealing with its complications. In spite of these developments, many patients still experience suboptimal therapy, putting them at risk of developing of acute and chronic complications that have enormous effects on the person, family and the co mmunity at large. Diabetes care and screening for complications at the primary care level provides co ntinuing medical and cost-effective nursing care a nd offers a chance for an educational opportunity that could improve a patient’s lifestyle. Adopting a prot ocol-driven strategy facilitates early detection of di abetic long term complications, when intervention at the proper time could retard or prevent lifelong di fficulties.