Diabetes Summit for South-East Asia in Chennai 2008

The Indian Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss addressed the importance of policy actions and preventive measures required to halt the epidemic of diabetes and other chronic non-communicable diseases.

More than 200 delegates from the South-East Asian region, leading global health experts, ministers of health from India and Sri Lanka, senior representatives from the World Bank, the World Health Organization (WHO), national health authorities, health care providers, academics, policymakers, non-governmental organisations and international media convened at the Diabetes Summit for the South-East Asian region to discuss strategies aimed at tackling the escalating rates of diabetes, one of the most significant public health challenges of the 21st century.

The summit was organised by the World Diabetes Foundation in collaboration with the World Health Organization, Regional Office for South-East Asia (WHO SEARO), the International Diabetes Federation and the World Bank. The Diabetes Summit for South-East Asia highlighted the approach that the World Diabetes Foundation and developmental partners are taking to tackle diabetes and related non-communicable diseases across the region through a number of replicable projects.

In his opening remark, the Minister for health care and nutrition, leader of the house in the Sri Lankan parliament and chairman of  WHO’s  executive board, Sri Nimal Sripala De’ Silva, addressed the magnitude of the problem:

“The problem of diabetes is big enough for the United Nations to recognise it as a significant global health challenge and for the member states to pass a unanimous vote recognising 14 November as World Diabetes Day. By doing so, they also accepted the responsibility of taking appropriate actions to address the issue. The global diabetes community must be congratulated for coming together and advocating for this to happen. South-East Asia is particularly affected by the diabetes epidemic, which kills more people each year than the tragic tsunami of 2004,” he said. Accompanied by a loud applause, he declared the summit open and wished the organisers success.

Delivering his address at the opening ceremony of the summit, Dr. Samlee Plianbangchang, WHO Regional Director for the South-East Asian region said: “We are pleased to be involved in this summit and welcome key stakeholders, not only from South-East Asia, but from across the globe with whom we will discuss measures for tackling chronic diseases.”
 
Stressing the grave challenge in the region he said: “If appropriate public health action is not taken, disability and premature deaths from heart disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases will increase by more than 21% over the next 10 years in the South-East Asian region. Almost half of the 89 million non-communicable disease-related deaths projected in the region during the next 10 years will happen prematurely, thus hindering social and economic development of member countries.”

Addressing the need for action

Prof. Martin Silink, President of the International Diabetes Federation, reminded the delegates that the UN Resolution on diabetes now provides the diabetes community with a huge opportunity to press policymakers to address the diabetes burden. He expressed extreme concern that: “Even 85 years after the discovery of insulin, children are dying in many developing countries because  insulin is either not available or inaccessible, and adequate knowledge on how to diagnose and treat these children is lacking. This can no longer be tolerated.” In an empassioned address, he asked the delegates to support a call for a special session of the UN General Assembly to discuss and include chronic non- communicable diseases into the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and the creation of a global fund for health to include both communicable and non-communicable diseases.      

Welcoming the delegates, Prof. Pierre Lefèbvre, the Chairman of the World Diabetes Foundation and former President of the International Diabetes Federation stated that: “The summit brings together one of the largest assemblies of the most influential people capable of changing the course of diabetes in the region. The fact that so many people have come together on this platform is not merely a coincidence. The fact that this summit has speakers and participants ranging from political leaders to policy planners, researchers, academics, health professionals, funding agencies, economists, teachers, representatives from the industry, non-governmental organisations and distinguished members of the media shows that the problem will have to be addressed at multiple fronts, and that there is a need for collaboration.”

In his short welcome, Dr. Anil Kapur, Managing Director of the World Diabetes Foundation thanked the partners for their constructive support for the summit. Referring to the tragic events in Mumbai two days back, he said: ”The fact that so many of you chose to travel from far and wide to attend the meeting, even considering the security situation, speaks volumes of your commitment to the cause.” He asked the assembled guests to rise and observe a minutes of silence as a mark of respect to the many innocent victims of the contemptible violence.

Prof. Pierre Lefèbvre, the Chairman of the World Diabetes Foundation and former President of the International Diabetes Federation addressing the summit delegates.

The dual burden

In his presentation, Dr Michael Engelgau, Senior Public Health Specialist of the South-Asian Human Development Unit of the World Bank, indicated the need to strengthen and adjust health care systems to address the prevention and care of chronic non-communicable diseases at the primary health care level and for strengthening surveillance systems to track and monitor the health and economic burdens of non-communicable diseases and their risk factors. He said that failure to address the growing burden of non-communicable diseases will not only impoverish individuals and families, but could set back economic development in many countries. He indicated that there was an urgent need to find funding mechanisms to ensure health equity.   

Prof. Anthony Harries from the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases addressed the issue of the double burden of diseases and highlighted the sixth Millennium Development Goal, specifying the incidence of infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, should be halted and reversed by 2015. “To succeed in achieving this target, it is important to focus on poor resource countries, and not only on HIV/AIDS, but also on the growing diabetes epidemic as a significant epidemiological risk factor. The link between tuberculosis and diabetes has been established; what is now needed is high quality implementation research to screen, monitor and care for this dual burden of disease,” he stressed.

Providing a strong platform for advocacy and media outreach

The three-day summit from the 28th to 30th November 2008 was packed with high quality lectures and lively discussions. Two high level panel discussions and an open forum, moderated by Mr. Quentin Cooper from the BBC’s Material World programme, were one of the star attractions of the summit. The two panel discussions consisted of a diverse group of leading experts in the field of development assistance and diabetes care and research; senior government officials, representative from the Confederation of Indian Industries, the Chief Editor of The Hindu, one of the leading national newspaper in India, representatives of the diabetes associations, senior representatives from the health industry, public health specialists and academia. The summit provided a platform for all the stakeholders to network, share ideas and take inspiration from what is already being done.

During the summit, the World Diabetes Foundation showcased six major projects for the media across India in the area of capacity building of health care professionals, public awareness in rural areas, gestational diabetes, primary prevention interventions in schools and innovative diabetic foot and eye care projects to demonstrate how interventions funded by the Foundation work at a practical level. It has been estimated that the media coverage of the Diabetes Summit for South-East Asia will reach well over 100 million people, providing much-needed information and focus on this often neglected problem.

Already one week after the event, more than 80 newspaper articles, online articles, radio interviews, television coverage and pod-casts were published and broadcasted. Attending the event and seeing the projects in action at grass root level, journalists were not only better informed about the growing burden of diabetes, but also could not fail to be moved by and understand the impact of this disease on the people in India and other developing countries, thus helping to create major awareness of the problem. They were equally impressed by the fact that small investments in the right areas, coupled with innovative ideas and establishment of effective partnerships can bring about comprehensive changes, as demonstrated through projects that they visited and were presented at the summit.

A joint call for action

One of the most distinguished and important key note lectures was delivered by the Indian Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss. In his half hour key note lecture, he addressed and emphasized the importance of policy actions and preventive measures required to halt the epidemic of diabetes and other chronic non-communicable diseases. He pointed out the measures taken by the Indian government on tobacco control and announced that new regulations with regard to food labelling and advertising food products to children will soon be implemented.

“India is experiencing a rapid health transition, with a large and growing burden of chronic diseases, accounting for 53% of all deaths and 44% of disability-adjusted life years in 2005. The close link between diabetes, hypertension, obesity, cardiovascular disease and stroke is well-known,” he said.

He furthermore added that “the leading causes of non-communicable diseases, and diabetes in particular, is harmful consumption of alcohol, lack of exercise and intake of unhealthy processed food. The Indian Health Ministry wants to remove junk foods. It should not be available in school canteens, and labelling rules should be amended under the proposed food standards. Also, Indian health authorities want to make arrangements to introduce yoga in all schools and screen students for risk factors for non-communicable diseases.”

At the concluding session, the Chennai Call for Action was approved and presented by the collaborating organisations and unanimously endorsed by the participants. The overall aim of the Chennai Call for Action is to try to increase attention, focus and allocation of resources to address the burden of chronic non-communicable diseases and to endorse and support a call for a UN General Assembly special session to discuss and include chronic non-communicable diseases in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and creation of a global fund for health to include both communicable and non-communicable diseases.

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