On 26 November, key stakeholders from the diabetes community gathered in Madrid for a Parliamentarians for Diabetes Global Network (PDGN) panel discussion. The Honourable Agustin Santos Maraver, a Member of the Congress of Deputies of Spain, hosted the event and chaired the session “The Power of Partnering with Parliamentarians”. The discussion focused on diabetes advocacy and the impact of people with diabetes in policy development.
During this session, Sir Michael Hirst, PDGN member and Bruno Helman, IDF Advocacy Coordinator, presented the objectives of the IDF Advocacy Academy, composed of IDF Members, Blue Circle Voices and Young Leaders in Diabetes. They also stressed the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration — involving people with diabetes, their carers and family members, healthcare professionals and parliamentarians — as the only possible path for effective policy to tackle the diabetes challenge.
According to global figures published by IDF in 2021, 10.5% of the adult population (20-79 years) is living with diabetes, with almost half unaware that they are living with the condition. By 2045, IDF projections show that 1 in 8 adults, approximately 783 million, will be living with diabetes, an increase of 46%. Policy initiatives that focus on type 2 diabetes prevention, early diagnosis and access to quality care for all types of diabetes can reduce the impact of diabetes for people living with the condition and avoid or delay complications.
About PDGN
The Parliamentarians for Diabetes Global Network (PDGN) is managed by a group of elected Officers operating under a constitution approved by its members. The President and Vice-Presidents must all be serving representatives. The Co-Chairs can be former or existing representatives.
Members work in cross-party groups within Parliaments to advocate for diabetes prevention, encourage early diagnosis of diabetes and improve the treatment of diabetes across the world. Groups are present globally, with motions and debates in parliaments as far apart and diverse as Bolivia and Malta, Australia and Russia, Scotland and Kenya.
