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International Diabetes Federation calls for UN action on diabetes for Indigenous Populations

15 Nov 2006 15:35

International Diabetes FederationThe International Diabetes Federation (IDF) has called on world governments to support a motion that the United Nations recognizes the ‘extremely serious health threat’ posed by the world diabetes epidemic to many indigenous communities.

In a statement issued following the conclusion of the first Diabetes in Indigenous People Forum in Melbourne on 15 November, the IDF and Diabetes Australia said there was a strong threat to indigenous communities unless urgent preventive action was taken at a global level.

The Australian President-elect of IDF, Professor Martin Silink, and the President of Diabetes Australia, Assistant Professor Peter Little, said it was to be hoped that world governments would join in support of a motion from Bangladesh to the UN, calling for recognition of the diabetes epidemic and encouraging national policies for the treatment, care and prevention of diabetes.

The IDF Indigenous Diabetes meeting in Melbourne also endorsed five key action platforms.  They relate to diabetes in:

Prof Silink said the Melbourne conference marked a ‘significant turning point’ for world indigenous populations, in that international attention was now ‘firmly focused’ on their plight.

“This meeting has generated widespread recognition generally that some indigenous communities face a very real threat to their health as a result of diabetes,” Silink said.

Diabetes AustraliaAssistant Prof Little said Diabetes Australia was ‘totally supportive’ of the need for urgent action both internationally and in Australia.

“In this country, we have the horrifying statistics that show some remote indigenous communities have an incidence of up to 50 percent of type 2 diabetes in adults over the age of 35,” Little said.

“Diabetes Australia, in partnership with the Australian government has a major role to play in the distribution of diabetes products and services funded by the government under the National Diabetes Service Scheme (NDSS).

“We commend the Federal Health Minister, Tony Abbott for his personal passion, support and commitment to the cause of diabetes and the Government’s willingness to increase the NDSS Budget announced last month in anticipation of the growing effects of the diabetes epidemic in this country,” he said.

Diabetes Australia supports the IDF-led campaign for a United Nations Resolution on diabetes and calls on the Australian Government to add its support to this vital proposal”, Little said.

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