Unite for Diabetes
At the Annual Meeting of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) in Washington DC on 10 June 2006, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) launched its worldwide campaign ‘Unite for Diabetes’, which aimed to drive a United Nations (UN) Resolution on diabetes.
On 20 December 2006, just six months later, the General Assembly of the UN adopted the Resolution and designated the current World Diabetes Day (14 November) as a United Nations Day, to be observed every year beginning in 2007. The Resolution encourages Member States to develop national policies for the prevention, treatment and care of diabetes. In this way, all nations recognise the severity of the worldwide diabetes pandemic and are urged to take action.
An international observance is a day set aside to observe an issue of international interest or concern. Currently, the UN has only three days dedicated to health: tuberculosis, mental health and HIV/AIDS. Because observances recognised by the UN promote awareness and mobilise for action, a World Diabetes Day recognised by the UN will help focus the world's attention on the need to address the growing diabetes pandemic.
Novo Nordisk support
Novo Nordisk played an active role in the campaign, in part by launching a Changing Diabetes Bus world tour in September 2006 to raise awareness of diabetes. The Novo Nordisk Youth Panel – a team of young people dedicated to defeating diabetes – was also heavily engaged in the campaign.
Novo Nordisk will continue to take an active leadership role in implementing the UN Resolution by encouraging national governments to take action on diabetes. In addition, in our efforts to explore practical ways of redefining healthcare around the needs of people with diabetes, we will establish high-level groups of experts to facilitate new solutions for change and drive better health outcomes for people with diabetes.
