CAPTION: Mr Matt Burnell MP, Mike Wilson OAM, The Hon Mark Butler MP, Senator Marielle Smith, Ms Louise Miller-Frost MP, Senator the Hon Don Farrell, Mr Steve Georganas and T1D advocates.
Over the years there have been many advancements in diabetes technology that have helped of people with the condition, especially those living with type 1 diabetes. Each has made life easier and helped provide better blood glucose control, that in turn has (or will) reduce expensive medical complications in the future.
In many wealthier countries there is now widespread usage of Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM) and increasingly among younger patients, insulin pump technology. Australia has been a leading area and as reported in our last newsletter, there was a bipartisan CGM commitment in the Australian Federal election in May, speedily turned into a reality under the new Government.
To celebrate World Diabetes Day in November, the successful advocacy by members of the Parliamentary Diabetes group, patients and their representatives was commemorated with the Health Minister Mark Butler MP, Senator Farrell, Matt Burnell MP and Louise Miller Frost MP and several JDRF advocates.
Advocacy Action: Do you have any successes to celebrate to share with others and use to gain more supporters in the future? Are there diabetes issues that could be highlighted for action in future elections to get commitments from all sides to act afterwards?
TAGS: Australia, Australasia, Diabetes Awareness, World Diabetes Day, Type 1, Treatment Availability, Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM)
Jump in Diabetes costs – Australia
Diabetes Australia (DA) has published a new report that has revealed the spiralling impact of diabetes and warned that unless urgent action is taken the condition, and its complications, threatens to overwhelm the Australian health system.
The report reveals huge increases, in the last two decades the cost of direct healthcare (up 289 percent), hospital (up 308 percent) and medicines (up 282 percent) have all exploded, while hospitalisations have increased by 149 percent since 2004.
DA warns that the number of people living with diabetes could climb to more than 3.1 million by 2050 resulting in 2.5 million hospitalisations per year and costing Australia around Aus $45 billion per annum. Advocacy Action: What are the costs in your country? Can you ask for the data? Have you checked out the data for Type 1 alone, in the JDRF Global Index – https://www.t1dindex.org/