World Diabetes Day 2010 and TUMS’ Efforts in Curbing the Disease
Date: 11/14/2010
TUMSPR News: November 14, 2010 marks the annual World Diabetes Day to attract attention toward a rising epidemic of the disease which has burdened health systems everywhere. Tehran University of Medical Sciences has been trying hard to offer its due care and expertise to reduce the burden and rate of this disease.
Started by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), World Diabetes Day is celebrated on 14 November to mark the birthday of Frederick Banting who, along with Charles Best, was instrumental in the discovery of insulin in 1922, a life-saving treatment for diabetes patients.
In fact this day is a campaign to attract attention toward a rising epidemic of the disease which has burdened health systems everywhere, especially that of the developing economies with its mortalities and morbidities in the most active portion of their populations.
WHO estimates that more than 220 million people worldwide have diabetes. This number is likely to more than double by 2030 without intervention.
Importance of the disease:
- About 80% of people with diabetes live in low and middle income countries.
- Most people with diabetes in low and middle income countries are middle-aged (45-64) and not elderly (>65).
- Diabetes causes about 5% of all deaths globally each year.
- Almost 80% of diabetes deaths occur in low and middle-income countries.
- Diabetes deaths are likely to increase by more than 50% in the next 10 years without urgent action.
WHO Diabetes Program
The mission of the WHO Diabetes Program is to prevent diabetes whenever possible and, where not possible, to minimize complications and maximize quality of life.
The core functions of the WHO Diabetes Program are to set norms and standards, promote surveillance, encourage prevention, raise awareness and strengthen prevention and control.
Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) has been trying hard to strategically follow the policies of WHO globally, contribute to the cause regionally and offer its due care and expertise to reduce the rate of this disease nationally.
In his meeting with high-ranking regional consultation on non-communicable diseases on October 26, 2010, TUMS Chancellor hinted at the new strategies which were going to be implemented by TUMS Deputy for Health for the control of non-communicable diseases at the district health center levels to health houses and health posts in the week to come.
Regarding the insidious nature of the disease, some people might suffer from the disease but still remain unaware of its progression; therefore TUMS has taken steps to fill the gap in this direction by holding educational programs for physicians and health workers. Education of people has been also one of the priorities and the University has published tens of educational pamphlets and held numerous face-to-face classes whenever and wherever possible. The Persian publications might be of use in Persian-speaking countries in the region too.
TUMS has not forgotten the virtual media too and launched a virtual clinic to fill the digital divide and promote health.
TUMS Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center has been actively following WHO strategies to control diabetes and other metabolic non-communicable diseases. Paying the utmost priority to diabetes prevention, the center has also been active in cutting-edge research including production of Angipars for diabetic foot ulcers and the recent transplantation of pancreatic beta-cells to two patients.
A network composed of 25 research centers which are monitoring osteoporosis, diabetes, hypertension and other NCDs, and doing research in those areas has been launched in the country to obtain reliable statistics to be employed by experts and policy-makers.
Fine tuning the curriculum of the master of public health course (MPH) which has been offered by the university for more than 35 years to more applicability cover NCD control and management has been another effort by the university. Foreign students have been also recruited from the countries in the Eastern Mediterranean region to boost partnership between neighboring countries.
TUMS covers the most populated and financially weak areas of one-third of Tehran Province with 4.2 million residents: the southern parts of Tehran and two suburban cities: South, Islamshar and Shahr-Ray District Health Centers. TUMS has three district health centers in theses areas which render health services and are part of its referral system. These three networks have numerous urban and rural health centers, health houses and health post.
http://publicrelations.tums.ac.ir/english/news/detail.asp?newsID=20253
