November 14 2006 marks the seventeenth annual World Diabetes Day. Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects people of all ages in all areas of the world. Inadequate care can lead to serious health complications such as blindness, kidney failure, neuropathy (degeneration of nerves and nervous system), amputation, heart attacks and death.

This date was designated World Diabetes Day as it was the birthday of Frederick Banting who, in collaboration with Charles Best, discovered insulin in October 1921.

The theme for World Diabetes Day this year is: Diabetes Care for Everyone

IIF’s statement for World Diabetes Day 2006

The official theme of World Diabetes Day 2006 is “Diabetes Care for Everyone” with a special focus on disadvantaged and vulnerable populations. It is estimated that there are 200 million people with diabetes worldwide. For a variety of avoidable reasons, many will die because of lack of access to care.

One such category is children requiring daily insulin for survival. Insulin has been available in developed countries since 1922, but because of its cost people requiring this essential medicine are unable to access it in many settings. Insulin is not the only cost that people with diabetes must meet. In Mali the IIF estimated that on average a person with diabetes living in the capital city needed to spend $21.24 on diabetes care each month for insulin and care, around two-thirds of a family’s income. Insulin makes up half of this total.

In addition to issues of cost, other factors are essential for diabetes care such as trained health workers and the appropriate infrastructure. The IIF through its work in 3 African countries has identified 11 key points needed to implement national diabetes programmes in the Continent. These are:

1. Organisation of the Health System
2. Data Collection
3. Prevention
4. Diagnostic tools and infrastructure
5. Drug procurement and supply
6. Accessibility and affordability of medicines and care
7. Healthcare workers
8. Adherence issues
9. Patient education and empowerment
10. Community involvement and diabetes associations
11. Positive policy environment

These 11 points are detailed in the “Diabetes Foundation report on implementing national diabetes programmes in sub-Saharan Africa”.

IIF Press Release for World Diabetes Day 2006 (in pdf format)

Visit the International Diabetes Foundation’s (IDF) website: www.idf.org