Doha: The Family Consulting Center (Wifaq), one of Qatar Social Work Foundation’s centers affiliated with the Ministry of Social Development and Family, signed yesterday a cooperation protocol with the Qatar Diabetes Association (QDA), which is a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF).
The goal of this partnership is to provide comprehensive support to families to help them cope with the challenges associated with diabetes, as part of ongoing initiatives to enhance social and psychological support for families of children diagnosed with diabetes.
The signing of this agreement coincides with the commemoration of World Diabetes Day in November, which highlights the theme of diabetes and well-being. This theme focuses on the psychological and family challenges faced by people diagnosed with diabetes and their families, emphasising the importance of addressing mental health as an essential component of comprehensive treatment plans. Through this partnership, efforts will be made to train healthcare professionals on the importance of psychological support and family counselling, enhancing their ability to provide integrated services to affected families and increasing the community's readiness to deal with these challenges.
Deputy Executive Director of Wifaq, Saleem Mohammed Al Anzi emphasised the center's role in addressing the pressing challenges faced by families, noting that the partnership will offer a range of initiatives, including specialised counselling sessions for families, contributing to better mental health and alleviating the pressures associated with managing diabetes. He added that through this collaboration, they will extend their services to diabetes patients, providing necessary social support, in addition to organizing awareness workshops for families and the community. These workshops will focus on the social and psychological aspects of supporting children with diabetes and their families. The partnership will also contribute to training healthcare professionals on the importance of psychological support and family counselling, enhancing their skills in dealing with patients and their families.
Al Anzi emphasised that this partnership represents an important step toward strengthening social responsibility and focusing on the well-being of families from both social and psychological perspectives. He said that they are committed to providing a supportive environment for families to help them face the challenges associated with diabetes, adding that this agreement reflects the commitment of both parties to achieving the social and psychological well-being of families of children living with diabetes, highlighting the importance of cooperation between institutions to achieve positive outcomes in the community. Executive Director of QDA Dr. Abdullah Omar Al Hamaq praised the efforts of Wifaq in fostering such partnerships aimed at providing comprehensive support for families living with diabetes to help them adapt to the challenges of the disease and create a safe environment for them. He also highlighted the importance of promoting a sense of belonging and responsibility toward this group and assisting diabetes patients in overcoming social barriers through educational programs, which will have a significant impact on enhancing the positive aspects of living with diabetes.
