Members of the Gulf Diabetic Foot Working Group (GDFWG) at the 3rd Gulf Diabetic Foot Conference.
The third Gulf Diabetic Foot Conference was held in Doha recently and discussed important clinical issues related to diabetic foot care with a focus on the latest advances in wound care technology.
The conference was organised by the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), in collaboration with the Gulf Diabetic Foot Working Group. It brought together over 800 key opinion leaders, wound care specialists, physicians, surgeons, podiatrists, nursing staff and allied health practitioners with a common interest in diabetic foot management and services.
“This conference brought together global experts in the field of diabetic foot care. It featured world-renowned international faculty who lectured on state-of-the-art concepts and techniques. Sessions focused on improving practices in the prevention and management of diabetic foot problems and most importantly on improving the care for patients with diabetic foot diseases,” said Dr Talal Khader Talal, Head of Podiatric Services at HMC and Chair and Head of the Scientific Committee for the conference.
He said the event showcased the latest innovations, developments, and successes in diabetic foot care. He stated that the two-day conference was about sharing successful systems that can be adopted to improve care.
Keynote speakers from the USA, UK, Netherlands, Belgium, Canary Islands, Cost Rica, Cuba, India and South Korea, as well as the Middle East and GCC countries presented during the conference, providing comprehensive updates covering the diagnosis and modern management of diabetic foot disease. Lectures focused on screening, diagnosis and treatments.
“The Gulf Diabetic Foot Conference is the premier diabetic foot conference in this region. This is the third year we’ve successfully hosted this event, attracting a wide spectrum of generalists and specialists who diagnose and manage diabetic foot. The aim of these conferences is to give hands-on surgical and technical training to surgeons, physicians and nurses. We aim to immediately impact their practice and I believe we were successful in accomplishing that goal,” said Mounia Mustafa Sabasse, President, Gulf Diabetic Foot Working Group and Head of the Scientific Committee for the conference.
Diabetes is a chronic and complex condition affecting approximately 415 million people worldwide. In Qatar and the wider Gulf region, Type 2 diabetes is a major health challenge, and diabetic foot and lower limb amputations are among the most significant and devastating complications of the disease.
Professor Abdul-Badi Abou-Samra, Chairman of Internal Medicine at HMC and Director of the Qatar Metabolic Institute was the Honorary President for the conference.
He said, “Diabetic foot is one of the most significant and devastating complications of diabetes. Therefore, as scientists, clinicians, and practitioners, it is critical we have a full understanding of this complex and debilitating condition so that we can enhance the quality of treatments on offer to our patients.”
