The WHO national diabetes programme initiative.
Epidemiological studies indicate that diabetes is a highly prevalent disease, with developing countries and minority populations now facing the highest risk. This places a strain on the health authorities, and consequently, has attracted increasing attention from the World Health Organization (WHO). The social and economic burden of diabetes is high, due to the seriousness of the complication of the disease. Many of these complications may be delayed or prevented, offering considerable opportunities for both reduction in costs to the authorities and improvements in quality of life for those affected. Following a resolution on the prevention and control of diabetes, adopted by the Forty-second World Health Assembly in 1989, the WHO diabetes programme prepared guidelines for the development of national diabetes programmes. Goals, targets and supporting materials have also been developed at the regional level by the WHO Regional Offices for Europe and for the Eastern Mediterranean. In 1994, WHO organized a meeting on the implementation of national diabetes programmes at its headquarters in Geneva. There were 70 participants and 32 counties were represented. The purposes of the meeting were to exchange information, motivate, consider evaluation, stimulate new programmes, define educational needs and prepare a written report. WHO plays a major role in the development of national diabetes programmes. In co-operation, WHO Headquarters and Regional Offices can act as clearing houses/information centres for data collection, programme monitoring and evaluation and the exchange of experience and technical information. The national diabetes programme initiative should result in improvements in diabetes control and care worldwide.
Gruber
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Division of Noncommunicable Disease, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
King
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H
D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000453:epidemiology; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D009313:National Health Programs; D015995:Prevalence; D016730:Program Development; D014944:World Health Organization