WHO Support for Soda Taxes
The World Health Organisation has published a global list of countries in its WHO Manual that have introduced taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages, and is calling on all countries to tax sugar drinks in order to save lives. Eighty-five countries are listed as having some form of sugar taxation in the WHO Manual, with several countries […]
Diabetes and Tuberculosis (TB)
With 1.6 million People with TB and Diabetes the World Health Organisation has published advice under the heading ‘Invest for impact’. Diabetes is associated with about twice the risk of tuberculosis (TB) disease and a higher risk of multidrug-resistant TB. People with both TB and diabetes are twice as likely to die during TB treatment […]
WHO Compact Presentation
The Global Diabetes Compact Forum (the Forum) was created by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to share and disseminate ideas, information and views that help advocate for the Compact, namely: a world where the risk of diabetes is reduced and where all people who are diagnosed with diabetes have access to equitable, comprehensive, affordable and […]
Sugar Taxes Nigeria
The Nigerian federal government says it is committed to attain the global best practice of nearly 20 per cent taxation on the final retail price on all sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). With non-communicable diseases believed to be the leading cause of death in Nigeria and other countries in sub-Saharan Africa, evidence-based interventions are being recommended by […]
Pan American Ministers Agree NCD Policy
Ministers and health authorities in the ‘Region of the Americas’ have agreed to promote a series of interventions targeted at children, adolescents, and young adults aimed at preventing the development of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) including diabetes – the leading causes of ill health, disability, and death in the Region. Agreement was reached at the 60th […]
IDF and the WHO
Breaking Barriers for Better Access to Diabetes Care Under the auspices of the World Health Organisation a hybrid event took place in Geneva, during the 76th WHO Assembly and was livestreamed via Zoom. Participants learned about the WHO Global Diabetes Compact potential to unite efforts in preventing diabetes, reducing risks and ensuring equitable and affordable […]
Uganda Symposium
A month earlier, in February, Uganda’s Ministry of Health, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) organised a nutrition symposium in Kampala, focusing on the systems approach for improving nutrition service delivery and outcomes in Uganda. Experiences were shared by nutrition stakeholders with reports on research findings, innovations, and lessons learned from projects. The […]
African Region Tops WHO Analysis for Undiagnosed Diabetes
Only 46 percent of people living with diabetes in the African region know their status. This raises the risk of severe illness and death, potentially worsening the situation in the region which already has the world’s highest mortality rates due to the disease, a new analysis by World Health Organization (WHO) shows. https://www.afro.who.int/news/african-region-tops-world-undiagnosed-diabetes-who-analysis Advocacy Action: […]
News from Around the World: South Africa’s Obesity Costs Typical Across Africa
Obesity-related conditions and their complications across the continent of Africa may add up to nearly 10 percent of all health expenditure. The costs of obesity and associated conditions add hugely to healthcare costs and productivity losses. In turn this adds a large burden on individuals, their families and on governments. Research funded through the University […]
The Caribbean
The Caribbean is one of the most obese sub-regions in the world according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) being the leading cause of premature death. The figures are significantly higher than the global average of 70 percent – with over 80 percent of deaths in Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua […]
Global Targets to Reduce Cases of Diabetes
Member States of the World Health Organisation have set country targets to tackle the occurrence of diabetes. The targets were set during the ongoing 75th World Health Assembly that took place in Geneva Switzerland. The targets are supposed to be achieved by 2030. A total of five targets were agreed to. These include; 80 percent […]
Nutrition News: Label Action on “Nutri-Grade” Drinks
The Singapore Ministry of Health is consulting over the introduction of new labelling requirements and advertising prohibition to be introduced at the end of 2022. The proposals relate to “Nutri-Grade” beverages sold in Singapore in prepacked form and from automatic beverage dispensers. Nutri-Grade beverages include, but are not limited to, soft drinks, milk and milk […]
More Action Needed on Insulin Access
A World Health Organisation (WHO) report ‘Keeping the 100-year-old Promise – making insulin access universal’ criticises the fact that insulin is still out of reach for many patients. The report lists the main barriers to access being: ● High prices ● Low Availability ● Producers ● Weak Health Systems WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, […]
Global Diabetes Compact
The World Health Organisation (WHO) launched the Global Diabetes Compact (GDC) earlier this year. The GDC is a global initiative targeted at improving diabetes prevention and care, and to contribute to the global targets to reduce premature mortality due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by one-third by 2030, are not meeting their targets. They are crucial […]
Diabetes Makes Africa More Vulnerable to COVID Deaths
According to World Health Organisation (WHO) data, death rates from COVID-19 infections are much higher in patients with diabetes in Africa, where the number of people with diabetes is growing rapidly. A WHO analysis of data from 13 African countries found a 10.2 percent case fatality rate in COVID-19 patients with diabetes, compared with 2.5 […]
Sugar Tax News: Pakistan Sugar Tax Rise Proposed
Pakistan’s Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination has recommended the Finance Ministry should raise the taxes on Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSB’s) including carbonated drinks in the coming budget to make them less affordable because of their health hazards. The Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health, Dr Faisal Sultan, has sent a recommendation […]
WHO Global Diabetes Compact Launched
The World Health Organisation held an international summit in April at which a Global Compact, focussing on setting global coverage targets for diabetes care was launched. A key aim of the Global Diabetes Compact is to unite key stakeholders from the public and private sectors, and, critically, people who live with diabetes, around a common […]
WHO Recognition for PDGN V-P
President of the Moroccan Parliamentary Diabetes Group and a Vice President of PDGN, Dr Mustafa Brahimi has been involved in a programme for the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases including diabetes, the taxation of sugary drinks and universal health coverage. His work has been recognised by the World Health Organisation in its report: “WHO […]
NCDs Behind Seven in Ten Deaths
According to the World Health Organisation, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) now make up seven of the world’s top ten causes of death. The data covers two decades within the period from 2000 to 2019 and shows an increase from 4 of the 10 leading causes in 2000. The trends indicate the need for greater efforts to […]
Diabetes – Three times more deadly than COVID
Diabetes claimed around four million two hundred thousand lives last year – three times as many as from COVID-19, yet this news almost goes unnoticed. Diabetes has not been nicknamed ‘The Silent Killer’ for no reason when globally there are over 463 million people who live with the condition. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) warns […]
Nigeria
Besides Covid-19 where cases approach 60,000 and over 1,000 deaths, Nigeria has a huge burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases. Covid statistics actually paint an impressive picture for a nation of 200 million people with a comparatively weak health system. The country is suffering from another health crisis that hardly came in the limelight. The […]
Africa News Special
High Blood Pressure and Diabetes top Covid Killers in Africa A World Health Organisation (WHO) analysis of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in 14 countries across Africa found that hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and asthma are the comorbidities most associated with Covid-19 deaths. In Kenya, around half of Covid-19 deaths were of people with NCDs while in […]
Diabetes Epidemic in Asia
A survey conducted by Sun Life Financial among nearly 4,000 residents aged 25 and above from Hong Kong, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines identified that more and more people from Asia are being diagnosed with the diabetes and fastest rate of growth was found in the Philippines. Out of a population of 100 million […]
More News From Around The World
Morocco – PDGN Vice-president Mustafa Brahimi MP reports that the Moroccan Diabetes Fighting League is organising the 8th National Symposium on Diabetes and Nutrition, Diabetes Morocco 2019 at Ibn Tofail University in Kenitra, on July 5th and 6th. 2019. The event will be organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Moroccan Society of […]
PDGN VICE-PRESIDENT JOINS WHO TAC
The Meeting of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) of the North Africa and Eastern Mediterranean Region EMRO was attended by PDGN Vice-President Mostafa Brahimi MP. It was held in April at the WHO headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, under the chairmanship of the Regional Director of the WHO., Dr Ahmed MANDHARI. Over […]