Leading experts in diabetes from India issued today a series of urgent recommendations for implementation during the next 200 days, in order to reduce the growing national burden of type 2 diabetes in the coming years.

These recommendations include early action: prevention, early detection, early control and early access to the right interventions. They were presented at the Global Diabetes Policy Forum, held between December 13 and 14 in Berlin, Germany. The Forum was organised and funded by AstraZeneca in collaboration with the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), Primary Care Diabetes Europe (PCDE) and the World Heart Federation (WHF) and supported by German Diabetes Aid (GDA) with its headquarters in Berlin.

Type 2 diabetes currently affects more than 69.1 million people in India. Poorly controlled type 2 diabetes can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, blindness, kidney failure, amputations and premature death. It is estimated that 1 million deaths per year in India are attributable to type 2 diabetes.

“Type 2 diabetes is a ticking time bomb for our country,” said Forum attendees, Dr. Ashok K Das, Professor of Medicine and Professor and Head of Endocrinology, Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, and Dr. Sanjay Kalra, Bharti Research Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Bharti Hospital. “Every year, more and more people in India are diagnosed with this condition. It puts increasing pressure on our health system, and more importantly it makes life extremely difficult for individuals and their families. Our recommendations are aimed at encouraging government, fellow physicians and patients to take early action to prevent, diagnose and control type 2 diabetes. The earlier we act, the longer and healthier we live”

In addition to presenting their 200-day plan, experts from India joined other international leaders in diabetes at this year’s Forum in signing The Berlin Declaration, a manifesto establishing foundational principles as well as specific targets and policy recommendations to help countries formulate and implement policies most likely to improve health outcomes for people living with, or at risk of, diabetes. The 200-day plans have taken inspiration from this document, which has been endorsed by several international experts.

“I’m delighted that the International Diabetes Federation is helping to champion this important initiative,” said IDF president Dr. Shaukat Sadikot. “What sets ‘Early Action’ apart from other campaigns is its focus on real action on the ground, aimed at producing concrete benefits for people with diabetes in countries at all levels of income. Every six seconds, someone in the world dies from diabetes. This sobering fact makes it absolutely critical that policy makers take action now, and that a broad range of stakeholders come together to encourage and support needed policy reform.”

The Forum carried forward the work begun under the banner of ‘Early Action in Diabetes’ at the first Global Diabetes Policy Summit, held in Barcelona, Spain, in November 2015. Participants in this year’s Forum included leading clinical experts in diabetes, as well as patient group representatives, policy makers, and political leaders.

“The Berlin Declaration sets forth a compelling case for health policy makers across the globe to prioritise early action against diabetes,” said Professor David Wood, President-elect of the World Heart Federation. “It also offers best-practice examples showing what advocates can do to achieve tangible progress in preventing, diagnosing, controlling and treating diabetes in their own countries.”

“It’s important to understand the challenges we face in overcoming the global health threat posed by diabetes, but even more important to identify actionable and achievable solutions,” said Professor Johan Wens, Chair, Primary Care Diabetes Europe.

Forum participants plan to reconvene in Rome, Italy in October 2017 for the third Global Diabetes Policy Summit, at which they will take stock of progress achieved in implementing the recommendations contained in the Berlin Declaration.

The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is an umbrella organisation of over 230 national diabetes associations in 170 countries and territories.  The World Heart Federation is dedicated to leading the global fight against cardiovascular disease (CVD), including heart disease and stroke. Primary Care Diabetes Europe (PCDE) provides a focal point for primary care professionals and their patients in Europe by promoting standards of care, diabetes education and research.