SSMC opens Type 1 diabetes early detection clinic for under-18 relatives in Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC) launched a specialised early detection clinic for Type 1 diabetes on 31 August 2026, giving eligible children and adolescents in Abu Dhabi access to antibody screening before symptoms appear.

The immediate operating question is for COOs, medical directors and payers: which patients should be referred, who pays for the screening and how should two-week infusion capacity be scheduled. The story is in Abu Dhabi, under the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi (DOH), but Dubai clinics licensed by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and providers in the northern emirates regulated by the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) should watch whether similar risk-based screening pathways enter payer rules or paediatric endocrinology referral protocols.

What SSMC has launched

According to the Abu Dhabi Media Office, the clinic is for children and adolescents below 18 who have a first-degree relative, such as a parent or sibling, already diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Families can access the service through direct appointments at SSMC's clinic building.

The clinic uses a blood test to detect diabetes-related antibodies. A positive result does not mean a child has symptomatic diabetes. It gives clinicians a basis for monitoring, family education and decisions before emergency presentation with acute complications.

"from reacting to crisis to identifying risk early" - Dr Asma Deeb, Consultant Pediatrician and Chair of the Paediatric Endocrinology Division, SSMC

The adult service is led by Dr Hassan Shawa, Acting Chair of the Endocrinology Division at SSMC. The children's clinic is led by Dr Asma Deeb and Dr Nabras Al Qahtani, Consultant Paediatric Endocrinologist.

What changes for clinics and insurers

The commercial issue is coverage design. SSMC and Abu Dhabi Media Office did not publish an AED price for the antibody test, infusion pathway or follow-up visits. Finance teams should check the relevant payer tariff and prior-authorisation rules before quoting patients. In Abu Dhabi, that means verifying DOH coding and claims rules with payer contracts. For Abu Dhabi members, Daman and Thiqa benefit rules need to be checked case by case. In Dubai, Sukoon and other insurers should be checked through the patient's policy wording and network status.

• Eligibility: children and adolescents below 18 with a first-degree family history of Type 1 diabetes.
• Access route: direct appointment at SSMC's clinic building, according to Abu Dhabi Media Office.
• Clinical test: blood screening for diabetes-related antibodies before symptoms appear.
• Treatment pathway: eligible high-risk patients may receive a daily infusion over a two-week period under medical supervision.

The treatment referenced by Abu Dhabi Media Office is the first FDA-approved medication shown to delay the need for insulin in susceptible children and adults. The US Food and Drug Administration granted a new indication for Tzield (teplizumab) on 12 June 2026. The FDA said the medicine had already been approved to delay the onset of Stage 3 Type 1 diabetes in adults and paediatric patients 1 year and older with Stage 2 disease.

For operators, the pathway is more complex than a screening campaign. A paediatric clinic needs consent workflows, antibody result counselling, referral rules, infusion nursing time, pharmacy handling, adverse-event monitoring and follow-up slots. A hospital can absorb this in a multidisciplinary endocrine service. A smaller clinic will need a referral agreement with a hospital that can administer and monitor infusions.

Why this matters beyond Abu Dhabi

Dubai already has mandatory health insurance and DHA oversight of diabetes care standards. The practical question for Dubai providers is whether risk-based Type 1 diabetes antibody screening becomes a paediatric endocrinology upsell, a covered preventive service for relatives, or a specialist referral only after family history is documented. Operators should avoid quoting a cash price until the payer confirms coverage for the antibody panel, consultation and any infusion pathway.

In Abu Dhabi, DOH's support matters because SSMC also linked diabetes technology adoption to the emirate's Health Technology Assessment framework. SSMC said it offers Omnipod 5, a tubeless automated insulin delivery system that adjusts insulin delivery based on glucose readings. That creates a broader procurement signal for CIOs and medical directors: paediatric endocrine pathways are moving toward screening, automated insulin delivery and structured follow-up.

In Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain, MOHAP-regulated providers should track whether family-history screening becomes a referral expectation for paediatric and family medicine clinics. The near-term action is simple: ask every child with a diabetes-related visit whether a parent or sibling has Type 1 diabetes, document the answer, and define where that patient is referred if the answer is yes.

Patients and operators looking for licensed hospitals, endocrinology services and paediatric providers can use the UAE Open Healthcare Directory, which lists licensed healthcare providers across all seven emirates.