Diabetes is a global epidemic. Today, approximately 6% of the world’s population – more than 420 million people – live with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. This number has quadrupled since 1980, and is expected to rise beyond half a billion by the end of the decade. While premature mortality from other major noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) is decreasing, early deaths from diabetes actually increased by 5% between 2000 and 2016.
This past year has been a wake-up call. People living with diabetes are at increased risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19, while diabetes care has been severely disrupted due to the pandemic.
In response, the World Health Organization (WHO) is launching the Global Diabetes Compact. The launch coincides with the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin, a life-saving medicine for people with diabetes.
The 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. It seeks to decrease inequity in access to diagnosis and treatment, ensuring that everyone can access care in primary health settings. It will also support the prevention of type 2 diabetes from obesity, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity.
The Compact will be launched at a Global Diabetes Summit, co-hosted by the World Health Organization and the Government of Canada, with the support of the University of Toronto, on 14 April 2021. The Summit aims to raise awareness of diabetes as a global challenge and address the need to scale-up prevention and treatment as part of primary health care and universal health coverage.
The Summit has 3 segments:
- a first segment primarily for governments, donors, non-state actors and people living with diabetes;
- a second segment on operationalizing meaningful engagement of people living with diabetes; and
- a third segment for people living with diabetes entitled "100 Years of Insulin ̶ Celebrating Its Impact on Our Lives" organized by the University of Toronto.
The first segment
Join the WHO Director-General and world leaders for the launch of the Global Diabetes Compact, a collective effort to prevent diabetes and bring the right care to all who need it.
Moderated by awarding-winning journalist Femi Oke
11:00–13:00 – New York
17:00–19:00 – Geneva
20.30–22.30 – New Delhi
Join us at www.youtube.com/who
The second segment
Organized in collaboration with a consultative group of people living with diabetes, this segment will discuss how people with lived experience of diabetes will meaningfully engage in all phases of the Global Diabetes Compact.
13:00–15:00 – New York
19:00–21:00 – Geneva time
22:30–00:30 – New Delhi
Join us at www.youtube.com/who
The third segment
100 Years of Insulin – Celebrating Its Impact on Our Lives
This segment, organized by the University of Toronto, will focus on the latest approaches to using insulin, the experiences of people living with diabetes, and how research on insulin is changing.
Starting at 16:30 Toronto time, 22:30 Geneva time
