KUWAIT: Under the auspices of the Ministry of Health and the Kuwait Diabetes Society, Medtronic, the global leader in medical technology, announced the launch of the MiniMed 780G system in Kuwait. This next generation advanced hybrid closed loop (AHCL) insulin pump system anticipates the patient's insulin needs and self-adjusts the insulin delivery, while also utilizing smartphone connectivity to allow easier access to information.

Dr Abdullah Al-Badr, Assistant Undersecretary at the Ministry of Health, said: "Diabetes is currently a pressing issue, which the current pandemic has highlighted further given that people with diabetes are more likely to have serious complications from COVID-19." He continued: "It is therefore vital that we continue to raise awareness around the importance of disease management and look at ways we can harness technology to improve the lives of patients. The health and safety of people living with diabetes is amongst one of our priorities, and so we are grateful for the efforts of the Health Sector in Jassim Al-Wazzan Sons and Medtronic to ensuring this."

"The launch of the MiniMed 780G is the latest example of how Medtronic uses smart algorithms to improve patient outcomes and simplify decisions for people living with diabetes, leveraging the company's deep data science and AI capabilities," said Majid Kaddoumi, President, Medtronic Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa. "From smart pump to smart pen, our portfolio offers innovative tech-enabled solutions for people on different stages in their diabetes therapy journey."

Dr Rashed Khazal, General Manager of the Healthcare Sector of Jassim Al-Wazzan Sons General Trading Co, the distributor of Medtronic products in Kuwait and one of the subsidiaries of Mezzan Holding Company, said: "With the pandemic exacerbating the need for new and smarter technologies, we felt it was crucial to work alongside Medtronic to launch the MiniMed 780G so that type 1 diabetic patients can focus more on their lives and less on diabetes. We are already seeing the impact of this and have received positive feedback from physicians across the world who have noted the pump's simplicity, which has enabled patients to adjust very quickly to this system giving them the freedom and control to improve their quality of life."

Dr Waleed Al-Dahi; Consultant Endocrinologist and President of the Kuwait Diabetes Society, said: "Research has shown that the incidence of type 1 diabetes has doubled in Kuwait over the last 20 years highlighting the pressing need to address the burden of this disease. Medical technology is now considered the center for management of diabetes. With the new available technical breakthrough, diabetic patients can manage their diabetes better and live a better life. Medtronic has always provided cutting-edge technology to help in better management of diabetes."

Despite advances in technology and the growing use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), many people with diabetes, especially adolescents, struggle with glycemic control and the daily challenges of managing their condition. The MiniMed 780G system, which is approved for use in people aged 7 to 80 years, anticipates insulin needs and leverages the company's most advanced SmartGuard algorithm to automate the delivery of both basal insulin and correction boluses 24/7, every five minutes as needed, helping more people with diabetes avoid highs and lows with greater ease, and reach their glycemic targets with less effort.

The MiniMed 780G system includes Bluetooth connectivity, allowing users to easily track pump and CGM information with customized options for alerts and real time glucose trends. In addition, information is shared automatically and securely with care givers and health care professionals thanks to the CareLink Connect App.