Diabetes and disasters

People with diabetes need uninterrupted access to medicines and care. They need healthy food and a safe space to exercise. Caring for diabetes becomes even more difficult when a disaster or pandemic strikes. In these difficult circumstances, people with diabetes often struggle to manage their condition and are at increased risk of life-threatening complications. This can be improved by good pre-planning of the response to a disaster.

The IDF Western Pacific Region and its national members have developed guidelines to inform the diabetes-related response to a disaster. These are available, along with related articles and resources, for download at the links below.

• IDF Western Pacific Region Program for Diabetes Management in Natural Disaster (pdf)

Australia

Source: Australian Diabetes Educators Association (ADEA)

• My diabetes emergency plan (pdf): Arabic - Chinese - English - Turkish - Vietnamese
• Managing your diabetes in an emergency (pdf): Arabic - Chinese - English - Turkish - Vietnamese
• The needs of people with diabetes and other chronic conditions in natural disasters (pdf)

China

Source: Chinese Diabetes Society

• Diabetes Care Related Response to Natural Disasters in China (pdf)

Japan

Source: Journal of Diabetes Investigation

• Diabetes Care Providers’ Manual for Disaster Diabetes Care
• Diabetes care: After the Great East Japan Earthquake

Korea

Source: Kidney Research and Clinical Practice

• Disaster preparedness for earthquakes in hemodialysis units in Gyeongju and Pohang, South Korea

Covid-19

Source: Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice

• The Australian response to the COVID-19 pandemic and diabetes – Lessons learned
• Diabetes and COVID-19: IDF perspective in the Western Pacific region