Southeast Asia, including India, records over 482,000 diabetes-related deaths annually, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), which emphasized the need to strengthen prevention and control measures for this growing health issue.
Diabetes remains a major global health challenge and can lead to serious complications such as blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, strokes, and lower limb amputations.
The WHO acknowledged that countries in the Southeast Asia Region have made notable strides in improving diabetes management services. As of June, more than 60 million people have been enrolled in protocol-based management for diabetes and hypertension, with the figure expected to reach 100 million by 2025.
However, despite these efforts, significant challenges persist. Over 260,000 children and adolescents with Type 1 diabetes still face limited access to insulin and monitoring services. Additionally, the incidence of Type 2 diabetes among young people in the region is rising, the WHO reported.
“Bridging service gaps to ensure timely access to diabetes care can save lives,” said Saima Wazed, Regional Director of WHO South-East Asia. She called for making care services “equitable, comprehensive, accessible, and affordable for all.”
Wazed was speaking at the two-day Regional Commemoration of World Diabetes Day 2024 in Colombo, Sri Lanka, under the theme ‘Breaking Barriers, Bridging Gaps.’
In response to the growing diabetes burden, health experts and officials adopted the Colombo Call to Action. This initiative outlines key actions and collective commitments by Member countries to accelerate efforts in uniting, integrating, innovating, treating, tracking, and educating to reduce diabetes risk and ensure access to quality care for those affected.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in a video message, highlighted that more than half of the 800 million people living with diabetes worldwide “do not receive treatment.” He stressed the need to “intensify efforts to meet global targets and ensure better prevention, diagnosis, and management of diabetes.”
The WHO recommended actions such as equipping primary healthcare with standardized treatment protocols, essential medicines, quality diagnostics, and skilled professionals to address the increasing demand for diabetes care.
Wazed emphasized that preventing diabetes is “a shared responsibility” between governments, healthcare providers, and communities.
