IDF Europe welcomes the new EU NCD Initiative – Healthier Together, launched by the Commission to help Member States (MS) reduce the burden of noncommunicable diseases. The policy roadmap will include a specific focus on diabetes alongside four other NCDs – cardiovascular, respiratory, mental and neurological diseases.
We strongly support the initiative’s objectives to improve diabetes knowledge and data sharing and create joint actions and targets, but most importantly, we welcome the attention and visibility this complex life-long condition is now receiving in the EU. Often seen as a self-inflicted disease, diabetes is a complex condition influenced by obesogenic environments as well as economic, social and environmental determinants of health. To promote understanding of the multi-faceted nature of the disease and improve the policy response to the growing burden of diabetes in Europe, the diabetes community launched a Blueprint for Action on Diabetes in the EU by 2030. IDF Europe also works closely with WHO on the Global Diabetes Compact and its implementation plan in Europe with the vision of reducing the risk of diabetes and ensuring access to affordable quality diabetes treatment and care. Additionally, in the context of the discovery of insulin, a life-saving medicine for people living with diabetes, 100 years ago, IDF Europe launched a three-year campaign including a dedicated website Insulin at 100 to celebrate the achievements in diabetes care over the past centenary and call for more urgent action to further improve access to medicines, supplies, technologies, care and education and quality of life.
We welcome the opportunity to work closely with the European Commission on the development and implementation of this new initiative and ensure that meaningful engagement of people living with diabetes at all stages. In this context, we look forward to the starting point of this collaboration – the Healthier together – EU NCDs Initiative information webinar on 15 December 2021.
