The status of national diabetes programmes: A global survey of IDF member associations

The 42nd World Health Assembly (1989) issued a global call to action on the prevention and control of diabetes. Four regional diabetes declarations followed – Europe, the Americas, the Western Pacific, and Africa – which paved the way for national diabetes programmes (NDPs) in many countries.

As a result of the UN Resolution on Diabetes (2006), the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) resolved to reinvigorate NDPs and established a Task Force for this purpose. Despite the growth of NDPs over the past 20 years, no formal global evaluation of their status appears to have been undertaken. Consequently, in 2008, the Task Force conducted a baseline survey of IDF member associations (n=202) worldwide seeking information on the existence, scope and status of NDPs. The survey achieved a 47% response rate with 61% of respondents indicating their country had an NDP. Of these, 83% had a prevention component, and 96% had type 2 diabetes as the most commonly occurring focus.

Overall, the survey indicated a strong core of cohesive national action on diabetes worldwide but highlighted the need for a concerted effort to develop and implement comprehensive national prevention and care plans aimed at reducing the personal, familial and societal burden of diabetes.