Samir Helmy Assaad-Khalil print      Biography   Professor of Internal Medicine. Unit of Diabetes & Metabolism, Alexandria Faculty of Medicine. Education: MBChB Alexandria 1971. MD Thesis Germany 1975. Doctor Degree Alexandria 1982. Post Doctoral Paris University1983-84. Member of the Council of the DESG (Diabetes Education Study Group) of the EASD (European Association for the Study of Diabetes). Granted the Scientific Research Award, Alexandria University in 1986. Award of the ALFEDIAM Paris in 1989. Received the Research Award Medal, Lucentina University, Alicante, Spain in 1990. The Diabetes Education Award Geneva in 1997. Awards of the Egyptian Medical Syndicate in 1996 & 1999. Received the EASD - DESG Award for the best research in the field of Diabetes Therapeutic Patient Education during the IDF Congress Paris 2003. Wrote & produced a film: "The Diabetes Jinns' Party awarded the EASD Award 2003 & Rotary International Award, Cyprus 1999. Co-author of the National Guidelines for Diabetes Management issued in 2003 & 2005. Author of the Arabic Diabetes Letters of the DESG and Author or co-author of books related to diabetes and metabolism; the latest is "Diabetes in the Arab World published in the UK in 2005. Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the Egyptian Association of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism. Foundation of the Youth Diabetes Registry. Foundation & management of two non-profit hospitals in Alexandria. Author of 140 publications in the field of Diabetes, Lipidology or Metabolic Diseases.       Abstract   Diabetes in Egypt Diabetes in Egypt Samir H. Assaad-Khalil Alexandria Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria; Egypt. Egypt has one of the higher prevalence rates of diabetes (DM) which will continue to increase. In fact, a growth rate of 9.3% was estimated in 1992, 10.2% in 2000 and an expected rate of 13.3% in 2025. Factors driving a rapid increase of the burden of DM include population growth, particularly the ageing one and rising prevalence of obesity. This is further complicated by the rapid change in a society increasingly adopting the “global” culture, urbanization, westernization of lifestyles, economic development and some local social factors. This will have its burden on the individual's health as well as on the society. An IDF publication 2002 reported a 41% prevalence of retinopathy among Egyptians with DM. A conjoint survey between Alexandria University & the Mario Negri Institute, Italy, revealed that the probability of surviving free from complications for 20 years in Alexandria among subjects with T2 DM is 30% for neuropathy, 66 % for nephropathy, 44% for retinopathy, 77% for cardiac complications & 71% for diabetic foot. Among many features of inappropriate health care, only 50% of non-insured patients have regular follow up visits, less than 50% of them have ever been subjected to health education & less than 8% have regular SBGM. Local myths & misconceptions in relation to the disease & its management besides an illiteracy rate of more than 40% accentuate even more the problem. On the other hand, a simple intervention on school children with Type 1 DM and their parents: a full one day camp and the projection of an educational locally made Egyptian video film. “The Diabetes Jinn’s Party” resulted in marked improvement in the knowledge, practices, attitudes and even on the management outcome (HbA1C 9,72% vs. 7,75%) This beneficial outcome is due to the fact that the intervention has been especially designed and tailored to the target population; which is the real challenge!