| BRUSSELS, BELGIUM--(Marketwire - Nov. 12, 2009) - | | | | Diabetes in Mauritius |
| The Republic of Mauritius in collaboration with the | | | | Globally, only one other country has a larger proportion |
| World Health Organization Afro Region and | | | | of its population with diabetes than Mauritius, the Pacific |
| the International Diabetes Federation(IDF) today | | | | island of Nauru. |
| opened an International Conference on Diabetes | | | | "If one needed a barometer for assessing or predicting |
| & Associated Diseases in Port Louis, Mauritius to | | | | the direction of the global diabetes epidemic, we do not |
| highlight their concern about the rapid growth of the | | | | need to go past the Indian Ocean island nation of |
| diabetes epidemic throughout Africa. The conference | | | | Mauritius with its population of about 1.3 million," said |
| will run from November 12 and end on November 14 - | | | | Professor Paul Zimmet, Co-Chair of the IDF Task |
| World Diabetes Day. | | | | Force on Epidemiology and Prevention from Australia's |
| The Pan-African conference will feature the Regional | | | | Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute. |
| Director of WHO Afro and health ministers from 46 | | | | Zimmet, who is co-chair of the scientific committee |
| African countries, directors from WHO global and | | | | and a keynote speaker at the conference, said the |
| WHO Afro, IDF experts, and other leading diabetes | | | | multi-racial population of Mauritius (Asian Indian Hindus, |
| experts from across the globe to discuss the current | | | | Asian Indian Muslims, Chinese and Creoles) has |
| issues, latest developments and practical management | | | | undergone rapid industrialization and economic growth |
| and prevention of diabetes and its complications. | | | | over the past several decades. This brought in its |
| Participants will also take stock of the latest scientific | | | | wake a dramatic shift in the disease pattern. He noted |
| evidence-based best practices to address the | | | | that these ethnic groups constitute two-thirds of the |
| epidemic of diabetes and related complications - The | | | | world's population. Mauritius acts as a microcosm of |
| goal is to build a strategic alliance among health | | | | the global epidemic and data from successive studies |
| professionals that will provide the momentum to | | | | here have been critical for IDF in its global predictions |
| implement both the National Diabetes Services | | | | of diabetes. |
| Framework and procedures, and the UN Resolution | | | | Along with the Mauritius Ministry of Health and Quality |
| on Diabetes (Res.61/225). | | | | of Life, Zimmet and Sir George Alberti have been |
| Africa will have the highest percentage increase in the | | | | conducting surveys in Mauritius since 1987 (1992, 1998, |
| number of people with diabetes in the next 20 years | | | | and 2004) which have shown that prevalence rates |
| because of rapid industrialization and general | | | | for diabetes and its complications are very high. |
| improvements in living standards over the past five | | | | Between 1987 and 1998, there was a 38% increase in |
| decades according to the latest data from the IDF | | | | diabetes numbers. In the most recent 2009 survey, (led |
| Diabetes Atlas 4th edition. At least 80% of people in | | | | by Sudhir Kowlessur and Professor Zimmet), there |
| Africa with diabetes remain undiagnosed. The picture is | | | | has been a further dramatic increase in numbers. |
| bleak for those already affected by diabetes as the | | | | "This bodes poorly for India (50.8 million) and China |
| IDF data shows that in Africa, most of those who die | | | | (43.2 million), the two nations that already have the |
| from diabetes are in the economically productive age | | | | most people with diabetes globally as well as the |
| group (30 to 60 years).(1) | | | | many nations around the world with immigration of |
| "No country is immune to diabetes and no country has | | | | these ethnic groups," said Zimmet. |
| all the answers to this common enemy that we | | | | Zimmet also voiced his great concern about the |
| confront. No country has yet managed to reverse the | | | | dramatic increase in diabetes in Indigenous populations |
| trend of rising prevalence. Defeating diabetes will take | | | | citing the example of Australia's Aboriginal population. |
| every ounce of commitment and ingenuity that we | | | | "In our rich nation," he said, "we have close to the |
| can summon. It is time to think creatively and to break | | | | highest world rates of diabetes, diabetic kidney disease |
| down old paradigms. Studies show increasingly strong | | | | and amputations in the world. Diabetes is the fastest |
| linkages between diabetes and many other diseases, | | | | growing disease worldwide and one of the greatest |
| such as heart disease, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS," said | | | | public health challenges of the 21st Century" |
| Professor Jean Claude Mbanya, President of the | | | | Professor Mbanya said, "Faced with these alarming |
| International Diabetes Federation and co-chair of the | | | | numbers in Mauritius, it is especially important that we |
| Scientific Committee of the conference. | | | | focus on the country this World Diabetes Day. This |
| Mbanya added, "IDF's aim is to achieve sustainable | | | | international conference marks the start of the political |
| health systems as called for in United Nations | | | | action necessary to reverse the diabetes epidemic |
| Resolution 61/225, and to catalyse funding that is | | | | worldwide." |
| committed to helping health systems develop | | | | For the next five years IDF is focused on Diabetes |
| sustainable, cost-effective measures for prevention | | | | Education and Prevention through its World Diabetes |
| and care of diabetes and other non-communicable | | | | Day campaign. |
| diseases" | | | | References |
| Diabetes Globally | | | | 1,2,3 - IDF Diabetes Atlas 4th Edition, International |
| Africa is not alone in fighting the diabetes epidemic. IDF | | | | Diabetes Federation, 2009. |
| data shows that 285 million people worldwide now live | | | | Note to Editors |
| with diabetes (4-in-5 are in developing countries). That | | | | About IDF |
| number is expected to exceed 435 million in 2030(2) if | | | | The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is an |
| the current rate of growth continues unchecked. | | | | umbrella organization of 212 member associations in |
| Diabetes will kill four million people in the coming year, | | | | 163 countries and territories, representing over 285 |
| more than HIV/AIDS and Malaria combined. | | | | million people with diabetes, their families, and their |
| Diabetes has become a development issue which | | | | healthcare providers. The mission of IDF is to promote |
| threatens health and economic prosperity in low- and | | | | diabetes care, prevention and a cure worldwide. Its |
| middle-income countries. IDF predicts that diabetes will | | | | main activities include education for people with |
| cost the world economy at least US$376 billion in 2010, | | | | diabetes and healthcare professionals, public |
| or 11.6% of total world healthcare expenditure. By | | | | awareness campaigns and the promotion and |
| 2030, this number is projected to exceed US$490 | | | | exchange of information. IDF is a non-governmental |
| billion.(3) More than 80% of diabetes spending is in the | | | | organization in official relations with WHO and |
| world's richest countries and not in the poorer | | | | associated to the United Nations' Department of Public |
| countries, where over 70 percent of people with | | | | Information. For more information, please visit and |
| diabetes now live. | | | | follow us at twitter.com/IntDiabetesFed. |