Primary Healthcare Management

Detailed national diabetes guidelines were less common in FCVs than in non-FCVs. FCV countries had major gaps in protocols, medications, technologies, and complication services. Diabetes management requires sustained access to health workers, protocols, medicines, diagnostics, complication screening, referral pathways, and patient education. The study emphasized integrating diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and related risk factors into primary care rather than fragmented disease-specific services. WHO supports implementation of the HEARTS technical package in several Eastern Mediterranean countries to improve cardiovascular disease and diabetes care. Most countries had integrated NCD services into essential national health services or UHC priority benefit packages.