International Diabetes Summit

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Diabetes is a global epidemic. Today approximately 6% of the world’s population – more than 420 million people – live with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. That number has quadrupled since 1980 and is projected to climb over half a billion by the end of the decade. While premature deaths from other serious noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are decreasing, early deaths from diabetes actually increased 5% between 2000 and 2016.

The past year was a wake-up call. People with diabetes are at increased risk of serious illness and death from COVID-19, while diabetes care has been severely disrupted due to the pandemic.

In response, the World Health Organization (WHO) is launching the Global Diabetes Compact. The launch coincides with the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin, a life-saving medicine for people with diabetes.

The Global Diabetes Compact’s vision is to reduce the risk of diabetes and to ensure that all people diagnosed with diabetes have access to equitable, comprehensive, affordable, and high-quality treatment and care. The aim is to reduce inequality in access to diagnosis and treatment and to ensure that everyone has access to primary health care. It will also aid in the prevention of type 2 diabetes from obesity, poor diet, and physical inactivity.

The pact will be launched on April 14, 2021 at a global diabetes summit co-hosted by the World Health Organization and the Government of Canada with the support of the University of Toronto. The aim of the summit is to raise awareness of diabetes as a global problem, to question and address the need to expand prevention and treatment within primary health care and universal health insurance.

The summit consists of three segments:

  1. a first segment aimed primarily at governments, donors, non-state actors and people with diabetes;
  2. a second segment to operationalize a meaningful engagement of people with diabetes; and
  3. A third segment for people with diabetes, entitled “100 Years of Insulin,” organized by the University of Toronto and celebrating its impact on our lives.

The first segment

Join the WHO Director General and world leaders in launching the Global Diabetes Compact, a collaborative initiative to help prevent diabetes and provide proper care for all who need it.

Moderated by the award-winning journalist Femi Oke

11: 00-13: 00 – New York

17: 00-19: 00 – Geneva

20.30-22.30 – New Delhi

Visit us at www.youtube.com/who

The second segment

This segment, which is organized in collaboration with an advisory group of people with diabetes, discusses how people with experience with diabetes can get involved in all phases of the Global Diabetes Compact.

13: 00-15: 00 – New York

19: 00-21: 00 – Geneva time

22: 30-00: 30 – New Delhi

Visit us at www.youtube.com/who

The third segment

100 years of insulin ̶ We celebrate its influence on our lives

Organized by the University of Toronto, this segment focuses on the latest approaches to insulin use, the experiences of people with diabetes, and how insulin research is changing.

From 4:30 p.m. Toronto time, 10:30 p.m. Geneva time