World Diabetes Day is celebrated every year on November 14. This date was chosen to mark the birthday of Frederick Banting who, along with Charles Best, first conceived the idea that led to the discovery of insulin in 1922.
This campaign is led by the International Diabetes Federation and its member associations. It engages millions of people worldwide in diabetes advocacy and awareness.
World Diabetes Day was set up in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organisation in response to growing concerns about the escalating health threat that diabetes now poses. It became an official United Nations Day in 2007 with the passage of United Nations' Resolution 61/225.
The campaign draws attention to issues of paramount importance to the diabetes world and keeps diabetes firmly in the public spotlight. This year sees the first of a five-year campaign that will address the growing need for diabetes education and prevention programmes.
Diabetes occurs because the body can't use glucose properly, either owing to a lack of the hormone insulin or because the insulin available doesn't work effectively. There are two types of diabetes: In type 1 diabetes the body is unable to produce any insulin. This usually starts in childhood or young adulthood. It's treated with diet control and insulin injections. In type 2, not enough insulin is produced or the insulin that is made by the body doesn't work properly. This tends to affect people as they get older and usually appears after the age of 40.
Diabetes Education And Prevention is the World Diabetes Day theme for the period 2009-2013. The campaign slogan for 2009 is Understand Diabetes And Take Control.
Diabetes is difficult. The disease imposes life-long demands on the 250 million people around the world now living with diabetes and their families.
People with diabetes must deliver 95 per cent of their own care, so it is of paramount importance that they receive ongoing, high-quality diabetes education that is tailored to their needs and delivered by skilled health professionals.
According to the latest edition of the IDF Diabetes Atlas (fourth edition), in Europe there are 55 million people living with diabetes aged between 20 to 79 years. Unfortunately, the situation will not improve and it is estimated that by 2020 this number is set to increase by 20 per cent to 66 million people. This averages to a diabetes prevalence rate of 8.1 per cent of the adult population in Europe and a significant increase from the present diabetes prevalence rate of 6.9 per cent. Malta is no exception to this diabetes "epidemic" and has a national prevalence rate of 10 per cent of the adult population.
An effective national diabetes programme is the key to promoting diabetes education and prevention. The 2008 Edition of Diabetes - The Policy Puzzle: Is Europe making progress? shows that only 13 out of the 27 member states have introduced a national diabetes programme or policy framework for this condition. Unfortunately, Malta is one of the EU member states still waiting to have a national diabetes plan.
One would argue: Why does a country need to have such a structured diabetes programme in place? Such a programme would raise public awareness on diabetes; it would promote diabetes on a national level and provide information and education.
A national diabetes plan will look into primary prevention to reduce the incidence of diabetes, to ensure early diagnosis and reduce complications, mortality and minimise the impact of diabetes on society. Such a plan would improve the quality of diabetes treatment and care, ensuring that this is accessible community based and with a patient centred approach.
A national diabetes plan will ensure that doctors and nurses working in the diabetes field have ongoing professional development and specialised training for diabetes care personnel. However, it is useless embarking on such an ambitious plan unless this is sustainable. The benefits of a structured plan reduce the personal, family and societal burden of diabetes.
With the high incidence of diabetes in Malta often referred to as the "national health condition", all stakeholders - the government, the Diabetes & Endocrine Centre at Mater Dei Hospital, the patient organisation in Malta (the Maltese Diabetes Association) - must work collectively and closely with the government and the ministry responsible for health to embark on this very important programme for Malta.
Together this is an achievable mission and the huge advantages of such a programme will definitely outweigh the costs of devising and implementing it.
The government expenditure to embark on a national diabetes plan for Malta should be seen as a national investment to reduce the public and personal cost of diabetes.
This year's theme on diabetes education and prevention is making a call to national governments to implement strategies and policies for the prevention and management of diabetes to ultimately safeguard the health of their citizens with and at risk of diabetes. It also urges the to understand the serious impacts of diabetes and how, where possible, to avoid or delay diabetes and risk complications.
The key messages for everyone are:
• Know the diabetes risks and know the warning signs.
• Know how to respond to diabetes and who to turn to.
• Know how to manage diabetes and take control.
Postponing a structured and effective national diabetes plan would only continue to aggravate the diabetes epidemic in Malta and all over Europe. We must get started sooner rather than later!
Mr Delicata is president of the International Diabetes Federation - European Region (IDF Europe).