Every year, World Diabetes Day is an important occasion to raise awareness of the escalating health threat posed by diabetes and nudge policy-makers to address the diabetes epidemic and improve citizens’ quality of life at the European, national, and local levels.
This year’s theme is Access to Diabetes Care: If Not Now, When? Achieving the best possible health outcomes and enjoying the highest possible quality of life for people living with diabetes is contingent upon their ability to access the medicines, supplies, technologies and care they require on an uninterrupted basis. The COVID-19 pandemic has clearly demonstrated the inherent inequalities in access to care across and within EU countries, and the impact of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) on health systems. Because of the complexity of diabetes, its interplay with other conditions, and with all levels of care, diabetes is a marker of the future resilience of national healthcare systems. The quality and effectiveness of diabetes prevention, management and care not only benefit people living with diabetes but represent a measure of how well a healthcare system is performing and benefits all NCDs.
15 November, 8.00 – 9.00 – European Parliament, Brussels (Room SPINELLI 3H1)
Event co-hosted by MEP Sirpa Pietikäinen and MEP Christel Schaldemose
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Register here.
On the occasion of World Diabetes Day, and to mobilise political support for a new diabetes resolution, IDF Europe and MEPs Mobilising for Diabetes (MMD) held a Breakfast Symposium at the European Parliament in Brussels, on November 15.
The event was opened by MEPs Sirpa Pietikäinen and Christel Schaldemose, co-chairs of the MMD Interest Group, who highlighted the need for more concerted policy action at the at EU level to improve diabetes prevention and management.
During the event, public health expert, and APDP Diabetes medical director, Joao Raposo, talked about what we can learn from COVID-19 to improve diabetes management, prevention and care and to absorb future health crises and build resilient healthcare systems. Diabetes advocate Jean Langford shared her insights and lived experience of health disparities from growing up with type 1 diabetes in Ireland.
These talks were followed by a panel discussion with MEPs Tilly Metz, Marisa Matias, Sirpa Pietikäinen and Christel Schaldemose on what policy changes are required now at EU level to turn the tide on diabetes. The conclusion was clear: We need to do more and we need to do better. Every European has the right to affordable, accessible and qualitative care and we need a new Diabetes Resolution now to ensure it.
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Learn more about the rationale for a new Diabetes Resolution here.
We thank our partners, Air Liquide, Boehringer Ingelheim and Lilly Diabetes for their support to IDF Europe World Diabetes Day events and to our call for a new European Parliament Diabetes Resolution.
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