Pandemic diabetes: can developed-world health professionals do more to support care in developing countries?

Abstract

AbstractBackground: The world is witnessing a global diabetes pandemic, likely to have devastating consequences for people with diabetes unless there are adequate measures to improve capacity for diabetes care. In December 2006 the United Nations passed a resolution (UNR), recognising diabetes as a serious health threat of the 21st century. The Unite for Diabetes campaign has three phases, the final stage being the development of programmes to facilitate lasting benefits for people with diabetes, globally.Aim: The developing world is witnessing the worst of the diabetes pandemic; such health communities are often least well-equipped to cope. Thus, there is a pressing need to adopt the UNR as a vehicle to catalyse improved capacity through measures including competence and skill development in these regions. An educational course of this nature was developed and implemented in Sri Lanka, in 2004. Consequently, diabetes specialist nurses, previously almost unseen in this developing nation, now run clinics a...