IDF South-East Asia Region Leads the Way in the Fight Against Type 2 Diabetes
PRESS RELEASE
IDF South-East Asia Region Leads the Way in the Fight Against Type 2 Diabetes Pandemic Through the Kathmandu Declaration
Colombo, Sri Lanka, 14 November 2008
To mark World Diabetes Day 2008 on 14 November, the South-East Asia Region (SEAR) of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) has announced the development of a landmark declaration. The “Kathmandu Declaration” is an action plan, providing guidelines and a framework for the prevention and care of diabetes through the pioneering concept of the “life circle”, which is in keeping with the blue circle from the Unite for Diabetes logo. The life circle approach concentrates on the prevention of type 2 diabetes from preconception to adulthood, highlighting the risk factors and prevention strategies at each stage in life through behavioral and environmental changes.
The Kathmandu Declaration, due to be published in early 2009, was formulated at a workshop and accepted unanimously by all participants at the inaugural meeting of the Diabetes In Asia Study Group (DASG) in Nepal on the 17th October 2008. At the invitation of the SEAR, representatives of the Western Pacific (WPR) and Middle East and North Africa (MENA) of the IDF met in Kathmandu to formulate this collaborative declaration.
The United Nations Resolution (UNR), passed in 2006, recognizes diabetes as a chronic, debilitating and costly disease associated with major complications that pose severe risks for patients and their families globally. The Kathmandu Declaration will help support all seven regions of the IDF to effectively implement the UNR to manage the rising diabetes pandemic.
Mahen Wijesuriya Chair of the IDF SEAR and convener of the workshop stated that, “The UN Resolution was an important and welcome step in the global fight against diabetes and we are now keen to move forward into the next phase of implementation through the guidelines laid down in the Kathmandu Declaration. It is important to maintain momentum and encourage policy-makers to take effective action before the prevalence of this disease increases further. There is also a need to empower people with diabetes so that they can make informed decisions regarding behaviour, environment and treatment choices and actively participate in lobbying key stakeholders to secure optimal management of the disease.”
The experts who participated in the workshop under the chairmanship of Professor Jean Claude Mbanya , President Elect of the IDF, and Rhys Williams, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology, Swansea University, highlighted the urgent need to increase awareness among governments, healthcare professionals and individuals, of the pandemic affecting 250 million people globally and projected to increase to 380 million in 2025 (WHO). The SEA region has the highest prevalence of diabetes globally with over 40 million people affected, which is projected to double by 2025. Of the countries within the SEA region, India has the greatest population of people with diabetes.
About the Declaration
The Kathmandu Declaration recognizes the interaction of all causative factors namely genetics, fetal origins, lifestyle and stress with special emphasis on behavior and environment. A need for increased education with respect to correct nutrition, adequate physical effort and reduction of psychosocial stress from conception to adulthood was identified. A multi-disciplinary approach to diabetes care was acknowledged as being essential to prevent complications such as heart attacks and strokes, renal failure, blindness and amputation.
In addition, it was agreed that the cost of diabetes and its complications and associated long-term repercussions, should be conveyed to policy makers so that informed decisions can be made which lead to full and effective implementation of the UNR.
This workshop, leading to the formulation of the declaration, is one of seven regional workshops sponsored by Merck Sharp & Dohme, focusing on the implementation of the United Nations Resolution (UNR) on Diabetes (Resolution 61/225) globally. This series of meetings is extremely important as it provides an opportunity to agree on effective primary and secondary prevention strategies in all the regions of the IDF, which it is hoped will enable positive change in the prevention, care and management of diabetes
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Mahen Wijesuriya – mahen@idf.org
Farzana Hameed: farzana@idf.org
Notes to editors
International Diabetes Federation
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is the global advocate for the over 250 million people with diabetes worldwide. It represents over 200 diabetes associations in more than 160 countries. Its mission is to promote diabetes care, prevention and a cure worldwide. The International Diabetes Federation is an NGO in official relations with the World Health Organization and an associated NGO with the United Nations Department of Public Information. The International Diabetes Federation leads the World Diabetes Day campaign. Additional information is available at www.idf.org
UN Resolution
The UN recognition of World Diabetes Day follows the passing of Resolution 61/225, the World Diabetes Day Resolution, in December 2006. The landmark resolution was the first goal of an ambitious campaign led by the IDF which recognizes diabetes as a chronic, debilitating and costly disease associated with major complications that pose severe risks for families and countries throughout the world. The UN has thrown its support behind World Diabetes Day and encourages countries to act now. To mark this special event, individuals are encouraged to wear the diabetes pin, which incorporates a blue circle - the global symbol for diabetes. The Resolution can be viewed at: www.unitefordiabetes.org/campaign/resolution.html.
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.
IDF Regional Meetings
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) with support from Merck Sharp & Dohme has implemented this meeting as part of a series, with meetings taking place in each of the seven IDF regions (Africa, Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, 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 UNR. 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 series of meetings is supported by an educational grant from Merck Sharp & Dohme.
References
1 The International Diabetes Federation Diabetes Atlas, Third Edition, 2006.
