World Diabetes Day 2024

The International Diabetes Federation organized the International Diabetes Day, 2024 globally on 14 November.

Introduction to World Diabetes Day:

• What is it: The world's largest diabetes awareness campaign reaching over 1 billion people in over 160 countries.
• Founded: In 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization.
  • It became an official United Nations Day with the passage of UN Resolution 61/225 in 2006.
• Date: Every year on 14 November on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Sir Frederick Banting.
  • He discovered insulin in 1922 along with Charles Best.
• Theme for 2024: ‘Breaking Barriers, Bridging Gaps’
  • The theme aims to encourage public health institutions and other global institutions to facilitate better opportunities, infrastructure, manpower and financial support to promote diabetes education, so that the World Health Organization (WHO) diabetes coverage target can be achieved by the year 2030.

Points included in the diabetes coverage target by the year 2030:

• 80% of people should be diagnosed with diabetes.
• 80% of diagnosed people should receive better management of their glycemia (blood sugar in the body) and blood pressure.
• 60% of people (40 years and above) should have access to statins (a group of drugs that help reduce cholesterol levels in the blood).
• 100% of people affected by type 1 diabetes should have easy access to insulin and proper blood glucose self-management facility. 

About Diabetes:

• Diabetes is a chronic disorder that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces.
  • Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar.
  • The condition of increased blood sugar in the body is called hyperglycaemia.
• Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to fatal complications such as cardiovascular problems, nerve damage, kidney and foot problems, skin infections, depression, dental problems.
• There are mainly 3 types of diabetes - type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes.
• Globally, 67 lakh people died due to diabetes in the year 2021 and currently 53.7 crore (1 in 10) people suffer from this disorder and this number will increase to 64.3 crore in the year 2030 and 78.3 crore by the year 2045. 

Diabetes Status in India:

• 77 million people above the age of 18 years in India suffer from diabetes (type 2) and about 25 million are prediabetic (high risk of developing diabetes in the near future).
• More than 50% of people are unaware of their diabetes status which can lead to the following health complications if not detected and treated in time:
  • Adults with diabetes will have a 2 to 3 times increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
  • Decreased blood flow to the feet increases the risk of neuropathy (nerve damage), foot ulcers, infections and eventually the need for limb amputation.
  • Diabetic retinopathy is a significant cause of blindness and results from long-term damage to the small blood vessels in the retina.
  • Diabetes is one of the leading causes of kidney failure.