IDF side event to the 70th World Health Assembly

Access to diabetes care remains inadequate and unaffordable in many countries, making it the leading concern of people living with diabetes.

On the occasion of the 70th World Health Assembly, on 23 May 2017 the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) held "Access to diabetes medicines and care in underserved populations: patient, health worker, government and multilateral perspectives on policy" - a panel discussion in Geneva between people with diabetes and healthcare professionals on priority solutions to overcome national gaps between provision and availability of diabetes care and treatment among underserved populations.

The event highlighted the central role of people with diabetes in all aspects of diabetes management, care and prevention and introduced our new network, the Blue Circle Voices. It also featured the critical perspective of frontline health workers in achieving quality care and optimal health outcomes.

During the event, IDF disseminated the findings of the IDF Members' Survey on Access to Medicines and Supplies for People with Diabetes to inform discussion on what is needed to achieve WHO 2025 targets at national levels.

Speakers and panellists included:

• Prof. Nam Cho, IDF President-Elect
• Dr Etienne Krug, Director of WHO's Department for Management of Noncommunicable Diseases, Disability, Violence and Injury Prevention
• Stela Prgomelja, Vice-President of the Diabetes Association of Serbia, and member of the IDF Blue Circle Voices from Serbia
• Riva Greenberg, diabetes educator, health coach and member of the IDF Blue Circle Voices from the USA
• Vanessa Pirolo, Project Coordinator at the Associação de Diabetes Juvenil, and member of the IDF Blue Circle Voices from Brazil
• Dr Sanele Madela, frontline health worker, Expectra 868 Health Solutions
• Kwanele Asante-Shongwe, Bakken Honoree Medtronic Foundation
• Samalie Kitooleko, Uganda Heart Institute 

Download the Highlights to the IDF Side Event to the 70th World Health Assembly (pdf, 1MB)