Diabetes Mobile Unit

Programme overview

The global prevalence of obesity and diabetes is rising across all age groups, including children and adolescents (individuals under 18 years of age). Obesity is a major contributing factor that increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in both adults and children. 

The Diabetes Mobile Unit (DMU) was established in 2012 as a joint initiative between the Bahrain Diabetes Society (BDS) and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) Medical University of Bahrain. It is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Manama and implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) in Bahrain. The programme is approved by the Higher Education Council (HEC) and coordinated by Community Engagement Outreach at RCSI Bahrain. 

In 2024, the programme was relaunched in alignment with RCSI’s strategic pillars of learning and teaching, research and community engagement. New educational and research initiatives were introduced and stakeholder partnerships were expanded. The programme evolved into an interprofessional learning (IPL) initiative that fosters collaboration between the School of Nursing and Midwifery (SONM) and the School of Medicine (SOM). 

Programme mission statement  

The mission of the Diabetes Mobile Unit (DMU) is to empower individuals, families and communities to enhance health literacy, adopt healthy lifestyles and prevent and manage obesity and diabetes. The programme advances public health in Bahrain through multisectoral collaboration that integrates education, research and community engagement. It implements sustainable, evidence-based educational initiatives that foster interprofessional healthcare leadership in health promotion. 

The primary objectives of the programme are: 

  • Develop a sustainable training programme that prepares nursing and medical students to become health promotion leaders, equipping them to educate individuals, families and communities on healthy lifestyle choices and self-care. 
  • Empower individuals, families and communities to enhance health literacy, adopt healthy lifestyles and promote evidence-based practices for the prevention and management of obesity and diabetes. 
  • Deliver educational programmes that strengthen self-care management among individuals with diabetes and their families to support effective diabetes control and prevent complications. 

The DMU educational programme 

The Diabetes Mobile Unit (DMU) educational programme, developed by RCSI Bahrain in collaboration with the Bahrain Diabetes Society (BDS), integrates interprofessional learning (IPL), community engagement and Student Engagement and Partnership (StEP). 

Through hands-on experience, nursing and medical student volunteers develop practical skills in health education, communication, leadership, teamwork, research and community outreach, preparing them to lead health-promotion initiatives. 

The DMU educational programme focuses on empowering children, families and the wider public to improve health literacy, adopt healthy lifestyles and prevent obesity and diabetes through fun, evidence-based and culturally appropriate activities. 

Volunteers contribute to key initiatives, including: 

  • Learn with Us, Move with Us: Prevention of Obesity and Diabetes (LMPOD) – School Health Literacy Programme (SHLP) 
  • LMPOD Public Health Outreach Campaigns (PHOC) 
  • Participation in diabetes self-management education and support programmes for children and adults with diabetes and their families. 
  • Engagement in research activities and projects 
  • Opportunities to attend local and international diabetes conferences 

Our Educational Resources  

  • Learn with Us, Move with Us  

Learn with Us, Move with Us is an interactive storybook designed to help children and their families develop healthy habits and adopt a balanced lifestyle to reduce the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Click the link to explore the flipbook and enjoy the activities together as a child and family. 

Awards 

The DMU was awarded First Place as the "Best Bahraini Voluntary Project" in the 14th His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa Award for Voluntary Work (2024) and received an Honourable Mention from the Talloires Network of Engaged Universities and the MacJannet Foundation (2025) for its outstanding contribution to community health engagement and student leadership https://talloiresnetwork.tufts.edu/about-the-macjannet-prize/2025-macjannet-prize-winners/ 
 

 

For Further Information, please send your request to communityengagement@rcsi-mub.com. To remain updated on the activities of the Diabetes Mobile Unit, please follow the dedicated Instagram page