Diabetes! In addition to genetic predisposition, its prevalence continues to increase due to obesity and lack of physical activity. Rapidly changing living conditions, technological advances and changes in eating habits also cause this metabolic disorder to occur more frequently. The fact that 34.4 percent of those who participated in the “Hypertension, Diabetes and Kidney Diseases Screening” conducted by the TRNC Ministry of Health between 2022 and 2023 had diabetes, which gives important clues about the prevalence of this disease in the TRNC.

Near East University DESAM Research Institute and the Turkish Cypriot Diabetes Association signed a cooperation protocol intending to increase diabetes awareness in society by conducting scientific research on diabetes. Within the scope of the protocol, training and social events will be organized for diabetic patients and their relatives.

The cooperation protocol, which came into force with the signatures of Near East University DESAM Research Institute Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cenk Serhan Özverel and Taner Moris, President of the Turkish Cypriot Diabetes Association, aims to provide solutions to the problems faced by diabetic patients in the TRNC and to contribute to the prevention of new cases by increasing diabetes awareness in the society. Within the scope of the protocol, joint studies will be carried out on providing training for diabetic patients and their relatives, organizing events to increase social awareness, and initiating future studies related to diabetes, and contributing to the improvement of public health.

Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ: “We believe that this collaboration will play an important role in raising awareness and improving the quality of life of patients.”
Emphasizing that one of the most important purposes of existence of universities is to lead to produce solutions with scientific data to the problems faced by society, Near East University Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ said, “With this awareness, we continue to support the collaborations of our research centers and scientists with non-governmental organizations.”

Stating that the cooperation protocol signed by DESAM Research Institute and the Turkish Cypriot Diabetes Association is very important in this context, Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ said, “Early diagnosis and effective management of diabetes is critical for individuals to live a healthy life. We believe that this collaboration will play an important role in raising awareness and improving the quality of life of patients.”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cenk Serhan Özverel: “We aim to reduce the effects of diabetes, increase social awareness and conduct scientific research in this field.”
Near East University DESAM Research Institute Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cenk Serhan Özverel reminded that diabetes is an important health problem in the TRNC and said that they will continue to play an active role in the fight against diabetes with the cooperation protocol they signed with the Turkish Cypriot Diabetes Association. “We aim to reduce the effects of diabetes, increase social awareness and conduct scientific research in this field,” said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Özverel and added; “In this context, we are planning diabetes-related training, awareness-raising activities and projects to improve the general health of the society.”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cenk Serhan Özverel also emphasized that the role of the Turkish Cypriot Diabetes Association in the fight against diabetes is very important and said, “The cooperation protocol we signed is an important step that shows our determination to act together with the Turkish Cypriot Diabetes Association in the fight against diabetes and to contribute to public health.”

Taner Moris: “With DESAM Research Institute, we will work to improve the general health of the society in the fight against diabetes and increase the quality of life with early diagnosis and effective treatment.”
Taner Moris, President of the Turkish Cypriot Diabetes Association, emphasized that diabetes can occur with the combination of a number of factors such as obesity, genetic factors, lifestyle preferences and general health status, and said, “Raising awareness and encouraging lifestyle changes for protection or reducing its effects are the most important aspects of combating diabetes.”

Stating that they will continue to focus on raising awareness in the society for the early diagnosis and effective management of diabetes with their cooperation with the Near East University DESAM Research Institute, Moris said, “we will work with the DESAM Research Institute, to improve the general health of the society in the fight against diabetes and increase the quality of life with early diagnosis and effective treatment.”