'I didn't understand what diabetes was'

Amina was more concerned about the fate of the baby inside her than her own health when she was diagnosed with diabetes. It was gestational diabetes, which affects women only during their pregnancies, but leads to much greater chances of them developing the disease permanently. "It was the first time I was pregnant. I didn't really understand what diabetes was at that time," she said. Amina, 33, was diagnosed with the disease all three times she became pregnant. Now doctors have found she has Type 1 diabetes.

At first Amina, who lives in Al Ain, ignored her diagnosis. She did not take her medication and ate whatever she wanted. Then about a year ago, she began to worry. "I felt sick. I started to feel bad all over. I had joint pain and I felt tired and sick all the time." Amina went to hospital and after being put on insulin feels much better. "I did not comply with the diet or instructions or anything until now. When I understood about diabetes I began to really take care of myself. Before I was not really concerned about my diagnosis."

The housewife is excited about the ministry's plan to spread awareness in the community as she said the disease is not well understood by many people in Al Ain. "No one was interested in it a few years ago," Amina said. "Then it came to my attention that diabetes is a big issue in the country." Suddenly information about diabetes was readily available. Doctors talked about it and newspapers wrote reports on it.

Amina thinks it is good that the Government is so focused on educating people. "No one really knows about diabetes." * Alison McMeans