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Exciting updates from the Global Diabetes Summit 2021

In mid-April 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the Global Diabetes Compact at the Global Diabetes Summit.

The goal? To improve diabetes care and treatment around the world. Read on for more details!

the global diabetes summit

What is the Global Diabetes Compact?

“Responding to the increasing burden of diabetes around the world, the World Health Organization is launching its Global Diabetes Compact. The launch coincides with the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin.”

The WHO Global Diabetes Compact has the vision of reducing the risk of diabetes, and ensuring that all people who are diagnosed with diabetes have access to equitable, comprehensive, affordable and quality treatment and care.

The work undertaken as part of the Compact will also support the prevention of Type 2 diabetes from obesity, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity.

WHO Global Diabetes Compact

Here’s what the Global Diabetes Compact looks like in further detail:

The Compact aims to improve treatments and outcomes for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, support the prevention of Type 2 diabetes, and focus on ensuring everyone diagnosed can access comprehensive, affordable and quality care. Designed through expert discussions and collaboration with key stakeholders and with input from people living with Diabetes (PLWD), the Compact focuses on eight areas of action, to:

  1. Unite: collaboratively unite stakeholders, including people living with diabetes, around a common agenda;
  2. Integrate: integrate diabetes prevention and management into primary health care and universal health coverage;
  3. Innovate: close research and normative gaps and spur innovation;
  4. Access: improve access to diabetes diagnostics, medicines and health products, particularly insulin, in low- and middle-income countries;
  5. Cover: develop global coverage targets for diabetes care accompanied by a global price tag;
  6. Treat: improve diabetes care for people living in humanitarian emergencies;
  7. Educate: promote health literacy and education;
  8. Build: build back better based on the experiences from the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to build preparedness and social security.

These eight areas of action will be developed further following the launch of the Global Diabetes Compact.

Global Diabetes Summit focus

Dr Tedros, the Director-General of the WHO, opened the Global Diabetes Summit with these words:

WHO focus on diabetes

The focus on diabetes will be implemented using collaboration across all sectors, as displayed below.

Collaboration and Partnerships – addressing barriers to access

I was lucky enough to be part of a panel at the Global Diabetes Summit: Operationalizing meaningful engagement of people living with diabetes. I was part of the panel on Collaboration and Partnerships – addressing barriers to access.

global diabetes summit engagement

You can watch the segment below, or the full Global Diabetes Segment here.

Nothing for us, without us

nothing for us without us WHO report

Read this meeting report about opportunities for meaningful engagement of people living with NCDs, from the WHO.

What to read next?

What is diabetes? Do you know exactly what diabetes is, and the different types? We outline it so you have all the facts.

COVID-19 and diabetes in South Africa: All the latest, expert advice. The one article you should read about COVID-19 and diabetes.

The latest prediabetes stats in South Africa: Here’s what we know about prediabetes in South Africa.


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Sweet Life is a registered NPO/PBO (220-984) with a single goal: to improve diabetes in South Africa. We are funded by sponsorships and donations from aligned companies and organisations who believe in our work. We only share information that we believe benefits our community. While some of this information is linked to specific brands, it is not an official endorsement of that brand. We believe in empowering people with diabetes to make the best decisions they can, to live a healthy, happy life with diabetes.

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