- The populations of the Gulf countries are suffering high rates of diabetes as risk factors such as being overweight or obese are becoming more prevalent
- The economic burden of diabetes in the Gulf region is growing, with the costs of diabetes care looking set to rise to US$24.7bn in the wider Middle East and North Africa region by 2035
- Sporadic and isolated policy responses are evident—not a coherent regional approach
- Policymakers have a number of opportunities to help combat the disease, notably boosting primary healthcare systems and engaging community leaders
Diabetes is becoming a growing health and economic burden in the Gulf countries, and more needs to be done to address the issue, according to Diabetes in the Gulf: The policy challenge, a new white paper published today (November 11th) by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) and sponsored by Janssen.
The white paper quotes data from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), highlighting that the prevalence of the disease has reached 23.9% of the population in Saudi Arabia, 23.1% in Kuwait and 19.8% Qatar, compared with a global average of 8.3%.
Meanwhile, the economic burden of diabetes in the Gulf region is high and rising. In the Middle East and North Africa US$16.8bn was spent on diabetes care in 2014, according to estimates from the IDF, and this looks set to rise to US$24.7bn by 2035. The direct costs of providing treatment for diabetes could rise even more dramatically in some parts of the Gulf region, for example in Abu Dhabi, where it may rise fourfold by 2030.
Policymakers are responding to the growing diabetes burden, but the response has not been consistent throughout the Gulf region. Some countries are implementing the World Health Organisation’s so-called “best buys”, such as reducing salt intake in food. Meanwhile, others have established wider healthcare strategies to tackle diabetes or launched initiatives to target specific aspects of disease management or prevention, including screening for example.
However, the overall response has been largely insufficient. For example, investment levels in healthcare in the countries of the region ranged from just 2.2% to 4.9% of GDP in 2012, well below the OECD average of 8.9%. However, it is not just how much money is spent on dealing with diabetes, but how it is spent that can make a huge difference. Policymakers have a number of opportunities to help combat the disease, including:
• further improvements to primary healthcare;
• the introduction of wider screening initiatives;
• a cross-governmental approach that includes the input of various different ministries;
• tough, new regulation of food and beverages, including taxes on fizzy drinks; and
• the engagement of the wider community in the battle against diabetes—first and foremost with religious leaders in the region.
Martin Koehring, the editor of the report, said: “Our research confirms that the diabetes burden in the Gulf is rising fast. More and more people develop the disease; in Saudi Arabia, already almost a quarter of the adult population has the disease. Economic costs are set to grow significantly too. More can be done to combat the disease, and our research has identified several underused policy options, including stronger engagement of community leaders, tougher regulation and investment in primary healthcare.”
Read Diabetes in the Gulf: The policy challenge here
Press enquiries:
Mathew Hanratty, corporate communications manager
+44 (0)20 7576 8546
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Martin Koehring, senior editor
+44 (0)20 7576 8028
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Notes to editors
Diabetes in the Gulf: The policy challenge is an Economist Intelligence Unit report, sponsored by Janssen. It assesses the current status and potential impact of diabetes in the six Gulf Co-operation Council states—Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE; reviews current approaches to tackling the disease in the region; and explores further possible opportunities to help combat diabetes. In this report, diabetes refers to type 2 diabetes.
In July-August 2015 The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) conducted 18 interviews with experts on diabetes in the Gulf region, including policymakers, policy advisers, academics and health practitioners. The insights from these in-depth interviews appear throughout the report.
About The Economist Intelligence Unit
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) is the world leader in global business intelligence. It is the business-to-business arm of The Economist Group, which publishes The Economist newspaper. The EIU helps executives make better decisions by providing timely, reliable and impartial analysis on worldwide market trends and business strategies. More information can be found at www.eiu.com or www.twitter.com/theeiu.
About Janssen
Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson are dedicated to addressing and solving the most important unmet medical needs of our time, including oncology (e.g. multiple myeloma and prostate cancer), immunology (e.g. psoriasis), neuroscience (e.g. schizophrenia, dementia and pain), infectious disease (e.g. HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C and tuberculosis), and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases (e.g. diabetes). For more information, please visit www.janssen.com.
