• A host of awareness programs targeting children to be held in the French Pavilion, from 4 to 7 March
  • An event full of entertainment to be held in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of insulin's discovery
  • Since its launch in 2016, KiDS program trained 57,284 students in 183 schools, 4,117 teachers, 3,045 parents and 188 school nurses across the country

The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MohAP) will organize at the French Pavilion, Expo 2020 Dubai several activities and events as part of the Kids and Diabetes in Schools (KiDS) program, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Sanofi, an innovative global healthcare company.

Running from 4-7 March, the activities are coinciding with the 100th anniversary of insulin discovery, the medicine which made a huge difference in the daily living of patients.

Since its launch in 2016, the KiDS program has covered 183 schools with 57,284 students and has trained 4,117 teachers, 3,045 parents and 188 school nurses across the UAE, in addition to handing out 60,000 booklets to children, schools and families.

Fostering preventive patterns & behaviors

"Organizing such activities of the KiDS program is part of the ministry' awareness initiatives aimed at fostering preventive behaviors among children, upbringing healthy generations and securing their psychological and physical safety and improving healthcare standards as per the best international practices," said HE Dr. Hussain Abdul Rahman Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for the Public Health Sector at the Ministry of Health and Prevention.

"We are glad to organize the KiDS program with students. The program highlights the importance of creating a positive environment helping children with diabetes manage their condition using the best and most effective protocols," added Al Rand.

He stated that organizing the activities at such a global event, Expo 2020 Dubai, would help expand the positive impact of the program on children and society, as well as stimulate international dialogue for better progress and cooperation in the global fight against diabetes.

Top priority

Al Rand underscored that the ministry pays top priority to the planning and implementation of diabetes-related health awareness paths, especially for students, in coordination with health and educational bodies, highlighting the importance of cooperation with the International Diabetes Federation and Sanofi carry out the KiDS program, which is part of the ministry's strategy to establish a sustainable health environment according to locally and internationally effective partnerships and programs.

Kids and Diabetes in Schools (KiDS) was launched in 2013 by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD), and Sanofi

In 2016, the UAE has adopted the KiDS program to prevent diabetes type 2, address the symptoms of diabetes type 1, and spread healthy habits among students across the country.

Healthy future for Children

"We are pleased to continue this collaboration with the IDF and ISPAD during the years of implementing the KiDS project on a global scale," said Niven Al-Khoury, General Manager General Medicines at Sanofi KSA and Gulf Countries. "On the local level, working with the UAE's Ministries of Health and Education to implement the program across the UAE demonstrates our firm commitment to implementing our vision for a healthy future for all children in the country.

The activities include an entertaining game, with the official "Tanton" character for the KiDS program, which welcomes children and helps them throughout the journey. Also, giant screens are also available displaying interesting information about diabetes, including ways of prevention and living with it. Once visitors to the booth complete all the necessary stickers and seals, they will be rewarded bags containing a sketch booklet on diabetes prevention, and eco-friendly notebooks "made of recycled paper".

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