World Diabetes Day focuses on raising awareness of diabetes as a global public health issue. The theme of this year’s WHO World Diabetes Day, "Diabetes across life stages” emphasizes the need for integrated care, supportive environments, and health-promoting policies for every person living with diabetes.
The global prevalence of diabetes is on the rise, with an estimated 537 million adults affected worldwide. In the WHO South-East Asia region, nearly 279 million adults are living with diabetes, leading to 480,000 deaths annually, with more than half occurring prematurely among those under 70 years old. Lifestyle factors such as unhealthy diet, tobacco use, harmful alcohol consumption, and lack of physical activity significantly contribute to the burden of diabetes, which is also closely linked to the rising rates of overweight and obesity.
Diabetes not only leads to various health complications such as cardiovascular diseases, kidney failure, vision loss, and lower limb amputations but also increases the risk of heart attacks and stroke, often presenting at an earlier age and in a more severe form. Addressing these lifestyle risk factors and improving health systems' response is crucial to prevent and manage diabetes effectively.
This year's theme emphasizes the importance of a life-course approach to diabetes prevention, management, and overall well-being. The goal is to ensure that individuals with diabetes have access to the necessary support and resources to maintain their health, dignity, and self-management, ultimately creating a world where diabetes does not impede individuals from living fulfilling and healthy lives.
In Sri Lanka, the prevalence of diabetes among individuals aged 30 and older was 31.2% in 2022, equating to approximately 4.2 million people living with diabetes. Alarmingly, nearly 41% of these individuals, around 2.4 million people, are not receiving any treatment. Furthermore, the number of premature diabetes-related deaths in Sri Lanka has doubled between 2000 and 2019, highlighting the urgent need for improved prevention and management efforts.
The Ministry of Health in Sri Lanka has taken steps to address this growing burden of diabetes. National regulations have been implemented on traffic light labeling of sugar, salt, and fat contents in packaged foods to inform the public about unhealthy food choices. The Ministry of Health continues to run campaigns to raise public awareness about healthy eating behaviors and the importance of physical activity, while also enhancing the screening, diagnosis, and management of diabetes at all levels of health facilities.
Additionally, the adoption of the 'Colombo Call to Action' in 2024 by SEAR Member States demonstrates a regional commitment to improving diabetes prevention and management by expanding health promotion initiatives, enhancing screening and diagnosis, and ensuring access to quality treatment and care for all individuals diagnosed with diabetes through national health coverage benefit packages.
Looking ahead, WHO aims to support Sri Lanka in achieving its national commitments to reduce the diagnosis and treatment gap and improve public awareness on diabetes prevention and management. It is imperative that governments, healthcare providers, and communities work together to address this public health challenge effectively.
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