Background:
Globally, more than 800 million people have diabetes, and 2 million deaths are directly attributed to diabetes every year. In the WHO South-East Asia Region, more than 246 million people aged 30 years and above are estimated to have diabetes. Diabetes and its complications (blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, and lower limb amputation) bring about substantial economic loss to people with diabetes and their families, and to health systems and national economies. This toll is manifested through direct medical expenses and the loss of work and wages. The predictions regarding the future economic burden of diabetes are as alarming as those regarding its future prevalence.
In April 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the Global Diabetes Compact to reduce the risk of diabetes and ensure that all people diagnosed with diabetes have access to quality care and treatment that is equitable, comprehensive, and affordable. The Compact guides actions through six strategic workstreams, including prevention and diagnosis, quality care, monitoring and surveillance, medicines and technologies, technical guidance and innovation, and governance and partnerships.
Sri Lanka and other countries in the South-East Asia Region has prioritized prevention and management of diabetes to halt the growing burden of diabetes in the country that are aligned with Key Asks of GDC. While continuing to reduce the treatment gap with enhanced screening and provision of medicines, Sri Lanka also has prioritized prevention of diabetes through life course approaches, especially the future generations, to correct the course from early stages of life.
The Seventy-sixth session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia also endorsed the SEAHEARTS (WHO HEARTS package adaptation to SE Asia Region), to accelerate CVD risk reduction and to place 100 million people with diabetes and hypertension on protocol-based management by 2025 as a step to improve diabetes coverage and control in primary health care
Despite the efforts, Countries in the region continues to face challenges with high rates of undetected, untreated, and uncontrolled diabetes. Many people remain unaware of diabetes, which act barrier to access services, care, and self-management practices. To address this, it is crucial to sustain, prioritize, and accelerate the implementation of cost-effective interventions that can reduce the burden of diabetes both at the national and regional levels.About the event:
In above context, to contribute to accelerating the implementation of Key Asks of the Global Diabetes Compact in the countries of the WHO South-East Asia Region, Ministry of Health in collaboration with WHO is organizing an in-person event for two days on 21-22 November, as Regional Commemoration of World Diabetes Day 2024-‘Breaking barriers, Bridging gaps’.
This event will be held in Colombo, and its purpose is to highlight the importance of diabetes as a public health problem, as well as discussing the existing challenges and opportunities in the Region to improve its prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
This event will expect the participation of the Ministry of Health officials and representatives from the WHO South-East Asia Region, WHO Western Pacific Region, WHO African Region, local and international experts, academics, professional bodies, WHO, UN agencies and Development partners
The event will include series of interlinked technical sessions and plenary discussions centered around key themes EDUCATE to improve understanding of diabetes through health promotion, and health literacy; TREAT through enhancing access to diabetes diagnostics, medicines, and health products; INTEGRATE diabetes prevention and management into PHC/UHC; and Collaboratively UNITE stakeholders, including people living with diabetes, around a common agenda; identify opportunities, challenges, and framing collective Colombo Call to Action for strengthening prevention and control of diabetes in the WHO South- East Asia Region that will help in Breaking Barriers, Bridging Gaps in the regional context.
A field visit (exposure visit) and poster sessions will be organized for the participants to showcase good practices in Sri Lanka and across the region for prevention and control of diabetes and other NCDs. The field visit will highlight the Sri Lanka’s journey towards improving access to diabetes care’ and will assist in cross learning and knowledge sharing among countries.
Objectives:
- To advocate for the integration of the Global Diabetes Compact's (GDC) Key Asks into national health agendas across countries and frame the ‘Colombo Call to Action for strengthening diabetes prevention and control in the WHO South-East Asia Region’.
Specific objectives:
- To facilitate cross-learning and share good practices by leveraging experiences from both within and beyond the region.
- To convene diverse stakeholders from various sectors to discuss successes, challenges, and future needs related to the Key Asks of the GDC in the regional context.
- To collaboratively identify opportunities, synergies, and prioritize actions to strengthen national responses to the growing diabetes burden in the region.
- To advocate for implementing priority action points of Colombo Call to Action for strengthening diabetes prevention and control in the WHO South-East Asia Region’ to attain the global diabetes coverage targets.
Expected Outcome:
- A collation of catalytic actions by countries to prevent diabetes and to promote wellbeing of those living with diabetes in the WHO South-East Asia Region formulated as ‘Colombo Call to Action for strengthening prevention and control of diabetes in South-East Asia Region’.
- Cross learning facilitated and countries sensitized on the key asks of Global Diabetes Compact and global diabetes coverage targets for 2030.
- Colombo Call to Action act as commitment to assist country and stakeholders for implementing priority interventions for prevention and management of diabetes.