Health organizations

President's editorial

Although the exact magnitude of the problem in Africa is not well understood, diabetes is a serious threat to public health throughout the continent. In 2003, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) predicted that by 2010, diabetes prevalence in Africa would increase by around 95%. Ignoring diabetes could lead to the breakdown of the fragile health systems in Africa, which are already overwhelmed by communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV/AIDS.

Even among policy makers at an international and national level, awareness about the public health and clinical importance of diabetes remains low. Diabetes is widely perceived as a condition of low importance to the poorer populations in the world. In the low- and middle-income countries, the impact of diabetes is largely unrecognized. Yet the world is facing a dramatic rise in diabetes prevalence, most of which will occur in the low- and middle-income countries.

The aim of the World Health Organization (WHO) is the achievement of the highest possible level of health for all the world's people. From its global headquarters in Geneva and its Regional Offices, it assists national governments achieve this aim by setting international norms and standards, and providing leadership and technical support. WHO has substantial influence and prestige and has several major accomplishments to its credit, most notably the global eradication of smallpox in 1979, and major reductions in the burden of polio, leprosy, river blindness and tuberculosis.

The World Diabetes Foundation (WDF) is dedicated to supporting prevention and management of diabetes in the developing world. Accordingly it funds sustainable projects in education, capacity building, and distribution and procurement of essential medical supplies. WDF creates partnerships and acts as a catalyst to help others

Over 80 years after the discovery of insulin, access to it is still problematic for people in many parts of the developing world. In February 2001, at a meeting between the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), a call was made for the establishment of a non-governmental organization to improve the sustainable, affordable and uninterrupted supply of quality insulin for people with Type 1 diabetes in areas of need.

Too many of the nearly 200 million people in the world with diabetes suffer from diabetes-related foot complications. As a result, the impact on their quality of life is massive. The loss of a foot or part of a leg is the devastating end result of one

About 43 million people live in the Republic of South Africa. Approximately 80% of these receive government-sponsored medical care, and 20% receive medical care in the private sector – paid for either by themselves or by medical insurance schemes. The costs of diabetes management are considerable, both for the person with the condition and the health-care provider. These costs relate to the management of the condition and the treatment of short- and long-term diabetes

President's editorial