DiagnosticsInternational Diabetes Federation Launch Landmark Action Plan To Tackle Rising Diabetes Epidemic In Africa
The International Diabetes Federation African Region (IDF Africa) launched a critical action plan today to address the escalating threat that diabetes poses to the region. The plan identifies three key areas of action: government, primary healthcare and the community, defining a clear step-based strategy for tackling diabetes and implementing the UN Resolution on diabetes in Africa. IDF Africa is now calling for immediate adoption and implementation of the action plan, to tackle a disease which if not addressed soon has potential to threaten the viability of many African economies.1
At the beginning of the 20th century, type 1 and type 2 diabetes was rare in Africa, but with the rapid urbanization and change in social lifestyle in the 21st century, there has been a rise in the disease and its complications. Diabetes Voice, September 2006; Volume 51 (Issue 3): Focus on Africa, Ekoç©, J. M., Zimmet, P and Williams, R. The epidemiology of diabetes mellitus: an international perspective. New York: John Wiley & Sons; 2001,3 It is estimated that from 2007 to 2025, the prevalence of diabetes in the continent will almost double, taking the number of people living with the disease from 10.4 to 18.7 million people. Diabetes Atlas, third edition© International Diabetes Federation, 2006
"In a region stretched to the limit by common life-threatening infections, people have overlooked and underestimated the increasing prevalence of other chronic diseases such as diabetes, now known to many as the "silent killer". As a result, Africa now stands at the precipice of a diabetes epidemic and we must act urgently to tackle this devastating disease. The personal suffering and public cost of diabetes in Africa is insupportable and can be avoided," said Dr Alieu Gaye, Chair of IDF Africa.
The meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, of IDF Africa and its national member organizations marked an important step in recognising the impact of diabetes on the continent and ensuring that the strategies in place to manage the disease are consistent, relevant and easily applicable to every country within the region. The action plan builds on foundations laid by the 2006 Diabetes Declaration and Strategy for Africa and United Nations Resolution 61/225 to improve the prevention, treatment and care of diabetes, with the aim of raising community and political awareness to improve diabetes care across the region.
Further Details of the IDF Africa Action Plan
The three tiered report outlines the actions and capacity-building required to shift the management of diabetes from a secondary to a primary care setting, reinforcing the importance of earlier diagnosis and access to diabetes care in improving outcomes for people living with the disease. The integration of a minimum package of care to facilitate this is also set out, including low-maintenance, cost effective equipment, guidelines for care and education materials and access to affordable antidiabetic and antihypertensive medication. Member associations are encouraged to partner with relevant key stakeholders to explore the potential for integrating diabetes into existing postgraduate training programmes e.g. training in malaria.
Also included within the report are concise recommendations on how to rally the political will to tackle the increasing epidemic. Tangible tactics are presented on how best to lobby governments and local politicians, from letter writing to the formation of national action groups. Each activity is designed to drive diabetes up the local political agenda and encourage a uniformed, best practice strategy for the management of the disease across the region.
Actions to educate and inform populations about primary and secondary diabetes prevention, treatment and care, are also included within the plan, placing responsibility in communities, schools and workplaces to ensure that the maximum number of at-risk people are reached. In addition, actions are recommended to monitor and evaluate the implementation and progression of the plan.
2006 Diabetes Declaration and Strategy for Africa
The Diabetes Declaration and Diabetes Strategy for Africa cover those sub-Saharan African countries, which fall into what is generally known as East Africa, West Africa and Southern Africa. They focus on the three major forms of diabetes - type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes. The vision, recommendations and strategies proposed in the Declaration and Strategy span the continuum of care from pre-diabetes through diagnosis, routine monitoring and care, to the onset of complications and palliation.
The Declaration and Strategy target politicians, health care funders, planners, policy makers and providers, all public sectors, non-government organizations, all relevant industry sectors and private businesses, and the general community to act to reduce the public and personal cost of diabetes.
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About Diabetes
Each year 7 million people develop diabetes and the most dramatic increases in type 2 diabetes have occurred in populations where there have been rapid and major changes in lifestyle, demonstrating the important role played by lifestyle factors and the potential for reversing the global epidemic. A person with type 2 diabetes is 2 - 4 times more likely to get cardiovascular disease (CVD), and 80% of people with diabetes will die from it. Premature mortality caused by diabetes results in an estimated 12 to 14 years of life lost. A person with diabetes incurs medical costs that are two to five times higher than those of a person without diabetes, and the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that up to 15% of annual health budgets are spent on diabetes-related illnesses. There is conclusive evidence that good control of blood glucose levels and management of high blood pressure and aspects of the lipid profile (blood fats) can slow the progression to or of type 2 diabetes, and substantially reduce the risk of developing complications (such as cardiovascular, eye and kidney disease) in people with diabetes. Facts and figures can be viewed at: http://www.idf.org/home/index.cfm?node=4
IDF Regional Meetings
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) with support from Merck & Co., Inc. (which operates in many countries as Merck Sharp & Dohme or MSD), has implemented this meeting as part of a series, with meetings taking place in each of the seven IDF regions (Africa, Middle East and North Africa, Europe, North America, South and Central America, South-East Asia and Western Pacific) towards the end of 2008 and throughout 2009. The meeting programme provides an opportunity to identify regional capacity-building needs to facilitate effective implementation of the UN Resolution. It is also a unique platform to encourage open dialogue and best practice sharing between countries in each region, to ensure such initiatives are a success.
Acknowledgement
This consensus was led by the International Diabetes Federation Africa Region and supported by Merck & Co., Inc.
The International Diabetes Federation