Doha, October 14 (QNA) - Sidra Medicine, a member of Qatar Foundation, will host the Qatar Pediatric Endocrine and Diabetes Conference (QPED 2026) from Nov. 27 to 28, 2026.

The conference will cover the latest approaches to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diabetes and endocrine disorders in children and adolescents.

Held under the theme "Advancing Excellence in Pediatric Endocrine and Diabetes Care," QPED 2026 will focus on developments that are changing the management of pediatric endocrine conditions. These include diabetes technologies, earlier intervention for Type 1 diabetes, new approaches to childhood obesity, precision medicine and emerging therapies for rare endocrine disorders.

Dr. Khalid Hussain, Senior Attending Physician at Sidra Medicine and Conference Chair of QPED 2026, said: "Pediatric endocrinology is advancing rapidly, particularly in areas such as diabetes technology, precision medicine and emerging therapies. We are also seeing an important shift in Type 1 diabetes, with greater focus on identifying children at risk and considering interventions earlier in the disease pathway. QPED 2026 will provide a platform for healthcare professionals to discuss how these advances can be translated into better and more personalized care for children and their families."

The two-day scientific program will address Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, childhood obesity, growth and puberty disorders, thyroid conditions, endocrine emergencies and rare endocrine disorders.

A dedicated session on the future of Type 1 diabetes will examine screening and prevention, immune-modulating therapies and cell-based treatments, including islet transplantation and stem cell approaches. The program will also highlight continuous glucose monitoring, insulin pumps and hybrid closed-loop systems and their growing role in the management of childhood diabetes.

Childhood obesity will be another key focus of QPED 2026. Experts will discuss the recognition, evaluation and management of obesity in children, as well as emerging treatment options. The conference will also feature updates on new therapies for monogenic obesity, achondroplasia and growth disorders.

Dr. Ahmed Al Hammadi, Chair of Pediatric Medicine at Sidra Medicine, said: "Children with diabetes and endocrine disorders often require care from multidisciplinary teams. Bringing together physicians, nurses, diabetes educators, dietitians, researchers and allied health professionals allows us to share knowledge across specialties and strengthen the way we manage these complex conditions. Our goal is ultimately to improve outcomes and quality of life for children and young people."

In addition to expert-led scientific sessions and case-based discussions, QPED 2026 will feature practical workshops on diabetes technology, insulin therapy and carbohydrate counting, as well as healthy lifestyle and behavioral approaches to obesity management.

The conference is aimed at pediatric endocrinologists, diabetologists, pediatricians, primary care and family medicine physicians, nurses, diabetes educators, dietitians, pharmacists, allied health professionals, researchers and healthcare students. (QNA)