gwen's blog

Yemen: caring for diabetes in times of war

Abdullah Almatary Aden Diabetes Center HCP training

In March of 2015, long-simmering tensions between Yemen’s traditional North and socialist South exploded into civil war. Houthi forces from the north invaded Aden, forcing tens of thousands to flee. One of them was Dr Abdullah Almatary, a WDF project partner since 2010 and the director of the Aden Diabetes Center.

In Mali, youth with diabetes gain skills and support

SEE A FILM - (English, 6 mins.)

VOIR UN FILM - (Français, 6 mins)

Makani learned what diabetes is. Oumar learned how to store insulin. And Esther learned that she’s not alone.

Dead Sea Declaration calls for urgent action on diabetes in refugees

SEE A SHORT FILM (4 mins.)

For refugees and those who host them, securing safety, food, shelter and acute medical care comes first. Yet as millions of displaced people move into camps or cramped urban settings, often with limited access to healthy food and exercise, increasing numbers of them are facing a new threat – diabetes.

International conference explores how to improve diabetes prevention and care for refugees

DEAD SEA, JORDAN - In a conference organised by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), and the World Diabetes Foundation (WDF), experts in healthcare services delivery for refugees from different sectors are gathered at the Dead Sea in Jordan this week. They will address an urgent issue - how to improve the quality of healthcare services delivered to refugee populations with diabetes - and will discuss the best prevention and treatment practices used internationally.

World Diabetes Foundation celebrates 15th anniversary

It all began on 12 March, 2002. On that day, Novo Nordisk A/S shareholders supported an innovative idea: they agreed to create a new, independent foundation dedicated to improving life for the most vulnerable people affected by diabetes in the developing world.

In India, a floating clinic brings needed care

Life is difficult in West Bengal’s Sunderban area. Most residents are poor, and their work - fishing and honey hunting – are dangerous. Fishermen face storms and accidents, while many honey hunters die in tiger attacks, a common event in Sunderban’s mangrove forests.

“This area is predominantly inhabited by the people belonging to marginalised communities, and it reels from inaccessibility, illiteracy, poverty, unemployment and economic stagnation,” says Archana Mandal from the Jujersa Women and Child Welfare Organization.

2017 Fundraiser: Rwanda diabetes awareness and support

Two decades after ethnic tension between Rwanda’s Tutsis and Hutus culminated in genocide, the country is earning praise for its development successes. Its economy is growing, and on the healthcare front, deaths from HIV, TB, and malaria and maternal mortality have decreased dramatically. Yet challenges remain.

WDF supports 31 new projects in second half of 2016

Below is a list of the new partnership projects that received WDF funding in the second six months of 2016. (Several advocacy projects also received funding in the second half of the year; these are not listed.)

Project descriptions will be added to the WDF website soon.

‘The Perfect Storm’ explains TB-diabetes co-epidemic and urges action

What is TB-DM – and why should overburdened health systems care about it? A new documentary from The Union against Lung Disease and WDF answers these questions, and offers tips for what can be done to stop the fast-growing problem.

Peruvian diabetes project wins praise and improves lives

On a recent November afternoon in northern Peru, the atmosphere at the Centro Salud Bellavista was festive. A military band played brassy versions of Latin favourites, while children in school uniforms and adults in mototaxis gathered to watch. Under a tent, a line of men and women waited for the chance to receive a free screening for diabetes.