13-Nov-2020
Ahead of World Diabetes Day (14th November), The Lancet publishes a new report calling for action to close the gap in diabetes prevention and care. Worldwide, 463 million people have diabetes, with 80% from low-income and middle- income countries (LMICs). In 2019, 4.2 million people died as a result of the condition and its complications.
A Lancet editorial published alongside the report states: “The evidence-base for improving diabetes prevention and care is strong. The question now for diabetes advocates is how to achieve the comprehensive, systems-level change needed to translate this evidence into action? … Through the [WHO Global Diabetes] Compact, WHO will work with partners to support countries to mobilise resources and accelerate structural transformations that together will enable the scale-up of access to essential diabetes medicines and technologies, the inclusion of diagnosis and treatment of diabetes in primary healthcare and universal health coverage packages, and the reduction of major population-level diabetes risk factors such as obesity. This initiative represents a valuable opportunity to build partnerships between governments, care providers, patient advocates, and non-governmental organisations to implement the Commission's recommendations through a renewed global diabetes movement. The case to act has never been more urgent.”
[Access the report, commentary and editorial here]