THE number of people with diabetes is rising most rapidly in low and middle income countries, which are least well-equipped with the diagnostics, medicines and knowledge to provide life-saving treatment, the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres has said.

This, he said during the commemoration of the World Diabetes Day on Saturday.

Mr Guterres said many efforts have been made to prevent and treat diabetes, yet the number of people with diabetes continues to go up.

The COVID-19 pandemic, he said has brought additional pain, highlighting that many people who require regular care and treatment for their diabetes struggle to access that care.
He showed that people with diabetes are at increased risk of severe disease and death from COVID-19.

“Next year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) will launch the Global Diabetes Compact, a new initiative that will bring structure and coherence to complementary efforts to reduce the burden of diabetes.

“Let us work together to make sure that, through this ambitious and much-needed collaboration, we will soon be talking about the decline in diabetes as a public health problem,” he said.
He further showed that as they strive to overcome the pandemic, they must ensure that there is Universal Health Coverage, strengthen health systems and advance good health and resilience for all.
In 2006, the General Assembly adopted resolution 61/225 designating November 14 as World Diabetes Day.

The document recognised the urgent need to pursue multilateral efforts to promote and improve human health, and provide access to treatment and health-care education.
The resolution also encouraged Member States to develop national policies for the prevention, treatment and care of diabetes in line with the sustainable development of their health-care systems.
The World Diabetes Day is aimed at promoting global awareness and how people can live the way they want while managing diabetes in an efficient way.

The World Diabetes Day (WDD) was first created 1991 by International Diabetes Federation and was later recognised by the UN in 2006.

November 14 is an important date as it marks the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who discovered insulin along with Charles Best in 1922.

Since 2013, The World Diabetes Day observes a theme every year. The themes help in managing different aspects of diabetes and how it affects the people living with them. For World Diabetes Day 2020, the theme is ‘The Nurse and Diabetes’.