It
is no secret that diabetes is major global concern for
developed countries as well as developing countries.
This growing concern has many facets ranging from
meeting the increasing demands for diabetes medication
to changing health coverage policies to protect people
with diabetes. Today there are more than 143 million
people living with diabetes and by year 2025 it is
expected to reach 300 million people worldwide. The
highest prevalence of diabetes is now in developing
countries and recent reports indicate that by 2025 the
number of adults affected by diabetes in developing
countries will increase 170 percent from 84 million to
228 million people.
This
growing epidemic is a concern due to developing
countries' lack of economic and health resources to
adequately address the situation. In India, there are
over 35 million people living with diabetes and with
their rapidly growing population, the incidence of
diabetes is expected to double in the next 15 years. At
present, India is faced with health coverage problems
for their growing diabetes population. Russia is another
good example of a country that is experiencing
difficulty in meeting the needs of the growing diabetes
population. Recently, concerns have been expressed over
the availability of good quality insulin, and now the
Russian government is working to improve the situation.
Diabetes
around the world
Here is a
list of the top 10 countries that are projected to
experience a dramatic increase in their diabetes
population by 2025.
Country
|
(in
thousands)
|
1997
|
2025
|
India
|
|
20,789
|
57,243
|
China
|
|
17,064
|
37,555
|
US
|
|
14,315
|
21,892
|
Russian
Federation
|
|
9,168
|
12,240
|
Japan
|
|
6,523
|
8,543
|
Brazil
|
|
5,254
|
11,603
|
Indonesia
|
|
4,886
|
12,427
|
Pakistan
|
|
4,727
|
14,523
|
Mexico
|
|
4,170
|
11,684
|
Egypt
|
|
3,464
|
8,802
|
Where
do we go from here?
The
greatest increase of people diagnosed with diabetes is
likely to occur in the developing countries, which are
the communities that may be least economically prepared
to handle the growth. The good news is that
international organizations such as the World Health
Organization (WHO) and the International Diabetes
Federation (IDF) are committed to improving the economic
and social burdens resulting from diabetes.
International
efforts to raise awareness and improve treatments In
1997, WHO established a program on noncommunicable
diseases to facilitate the prevention and control of
cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory and
rheumatic diseases, diabetes, genetic disorders, oral
diseases and noma. Through these programs, WHO works
with countries to determine their risk factors and
develop policies and strategies for effective prevention
and control. Other international efforts to raise
awareness about diabetes and its complications include
the annual World Diabetes Day on November 14, which is
hosted by the IDF and WHO.
While the
number of people affected by diabetes continues to rise,
new ways of reaching communities and educating them
about the disease continue to emerge. As researchers
search for a cure for this chronic disease, educating
people about diabetes and balancing diet, exercise, and
routine testing allows people with diabetes to live
healthy and active lives, and still remains the best way
to prevent life-threatening complications.
|