Educate today to protect tomorrow

Dr Poonam Ketrapal Singh, WHO Regional Director for Southeast Asia

On World Diabetes Day, WHO advocates for health workers, caregivers, the general public, and people with diabetes to access quality, affordable diabetes care as part of its efforts to ensure access to quality and affordable diabetes care for all. We are calling for increased access to diabetes education. Worldwide, approximately 422 million people have diabetes, and 1.5 million are directly attributable to diabetes each year. In the WHO Southeast Asia Region, more than 96 million people are estimated to have diabetes, a further 96 million have prediabetes, and at least 600,000 die each year. Diabetes in the region is expected to rise by 68% by 2045 unless urgent action is taken.

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease that, if not detected or managed properly, can cause severe and life-threatening damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves. The risk of type 2 diabetes can be reduced by regular and adequate physical activity, a healthy diet, and avoiding harmful use of tobacco and alcohol. Once developed, type 2 diabetes can be managed with medication, blood pressure and lipid control, and adherence to a healthy lifestyle. Type 1 diabetes, which affects more than 250,000 children and adolescents in the region, is currently not preventable, but it can be managed. For people with both types of diabetes, access to affordable treatment, including insulin, is critical to survival.

The region has identified top priorities for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and achieving universal health coverage (UHC), in line with the recently adopted Implementation Roadmap 2022 for the Prevention and Control of NCDs. , continues to take targeted action to combat diabetes. 2030. Nearly all countries now have standardized treatment guidelines for diabetes, and most countries offer at least one hypoglycemic agent at the primary health care (PHC) level. Across the region, the WHO HEARTS–D technology package assists PHC personnel in diagnosing, treating and managing diabetes, and is a region-wide effort to reorganize the health system, including NCD care, to her PHC level. is accelerating.

In 2021, in response to COVID-19, WHO helped provide insulin donations to Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste and 45 low and middle income countries around the world. The region is now on track to achieve a 30% relative reduction in tobacco use between 2010 and 2025, and last year, from 2018 to his 2030 Launched regional roadmaps for the implementation of the Global Action Plan. This roadmap will help Member States achieve a 15% relative reduction in the prevalence of inadequate physical activity by 2030. This will help reduce the expected increase in new diabetics.

WHO calls for action in several key areas. First, policymakers should set time-bound targets to address coverage gaps, with a focus on equity and leaving no one behind. Second, there is a continued need to identify and implement high-impact, cost-effective and contextually appropriate interventions. This is why the Global Diabetes Compact, launched in April 2021, calls for targeted efforts to strengthen community empowerment and increase private sector engagement.

Third, policy makers will continue to strengthen PHC service delivery, building momentum since the 2016 Colombo Declaration, to ensure that diabetes screening and care are available, accessible, acceptable and appropriate, without discrimination. Quality must be guaranteed. Fourth, countries must continue to promote access to essential medicines and priority medical devices, including insulin, in national benefit packages, a key focus of the region’s top priorities on UHC.

Diabetes education must continue to be strengthened to stop the rise of diabetes and protect tomorrow. From the primary education level, health and care workers must have the resources and knowledge to detect diabetes early and to properly care for people with diabetes. People with diabetes need access to in-depth knowledge about how best to manage their condition, including adherence to medications and regular check-ups. Also, the general public should be well aware of ways to prevent diabetes. For example, adopting a healthy lifestyle should detect signs and symptoms such as frequent urination, thirst, constant hunger, weight loss, changes in vision, and fatigue. .

Don’t spare a single second. The COVID-19 pandemic is disproportionately impacting NCD patients. It highlights the many health, social and economic benefits of appropriate and sustained action against NCDs. A diabetic has a 1.5 times higher risk of contracting tuberculosis. Gestational diabetes not only increases the risk of neonatal morbidity and mortality, but also increases the likelihood of developing diabetes later in life. On World Diabetes Day, WHO promotes and implements policy, legislative and regulatory measures to reduce the risk of diabetes and provide quality and affordable diabetes care to all who need it. To this end, we reiterate our commitment to support all countries in the region. one behind.