Governments complicit in global diabetes epidemic, says health group

Diabetes is one of the major global killers, but not one country has managed to lower the rate of the disease, a health organisation has warned.

Marking the third United Nations High-level Meeting on noncommunicable diseases, the International Diabetes Federation on Thursday released a statement expressing concern that diabetes is growing, with the number of people living with the blood sugar disease expected to rise rapidly to more than 500 million people.

The much anticipated meeting will see world leaders discuss the prevention and control of significant killer diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

For diabetes care advocates, the meeting is of significance after governments committed to reaching a 0 percent increase in diabetes and obesity prevalence by 2025 in 2014.

But the chances of the objective being achieved is now less than one percent, with just eight of 193 countries having a 50 percent chance of halting the epidemic.

IDF had also found that less than a fifth of people think their government is doing enough to tackle diabetes.

Lack of drive and resources

Prevention is not the only concern for IDF, but in many cases so is treatment – something that millions across the world still do not have access to.

"I am fortunate to be able to access the insulin and care that I require to live a healthy life, free of complications, but for many like me it is too expensive or out of reach,” said Apoorva Gomber, an IDF Young Leader in Diabetes from India who has been living with type 1 diabetes since 2009.

“That is unacceptable.”

The organisation is urging governments to use current financial resources to provide essential diabetes medical supplies to ensure poverty-stricken residents are not left unable to afford or access vital treatment.

“Nearly 100 years after insulin was first used successfully to treat diabetes, many people with diabetes, particularly those in low and middle-income countries, struggle to access a reliable supply. People with type 1 diabetes need insulin to stay alive”, IDF said in its statement.

Professor Nam Cho, President of the International Diabetes Federation warned of the dire consequences if states refuse to step up to tackle the epidemic.

“In 2014, 193 countries committed to achieving a zero percent increase in diabetes by 2025. Four years on, reports show that the chances of this target being achieved are less than one per cent”, he said.

“Diabetes is a serious global issue. Worldwide, the direct medical cost of the disease per year is $727 billion USD, which is greater than the combined defence budgets of China and the US.”

He warned: “Governments must do more and now is the time for them to take responsibility and be accountable. If they won’t listen to us, then they should listen to their citizens. Our own global research has found that just 17 percent of people believe their government is doing enough to tackle diabetes.”

Banning diabetic expats

Some countries have even taken public health concerns as a pretext to lower immigration levels.

Kuwait in March announced a scheme to stop granting residency permits to "unfit" foreigners who suffer from a range of non-infectious diseases, including diabetes.

Kuwait's ministry of health issued a list of almost two dozen chronic illnesses that will prevent expatriates from being allowed to live and work in the oil-rich Gulf state.

"The list includes 22 diseases including irregular diabetes, irregular high blood pressure and cancer," health sources told the newspaper.

The sources said that other blacklisted conditions included "poor vision, having 'crossed eyes', kidney failure and walking with a 'limp'."

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