FORUM: "Diabetes across life stages.” World Diabetes Day 2025. Diabetes can impact people across all life stages, including childhood, the reproductive years, working age and older adulthood. The theme of this year’s obervance recognizes that every person living with diabetes should have access to integrated care, supportive environments and policies that promote health, dignity and self-management. This campaign emphasizes the importance of a life-course approach to diabetes prevention, management and overall well-being. The celebration provide an opportunity to raise awareness about diabetes as a critical global public health issue. Join us in raising awareness, spreading knowledge and creating lasting change for all affected by diabetes. Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #Diabeteslife, #14November, #WorldDiabetesDay, #AccesstoDiabetesCare.
80% of people with diagnosed diabetes have good control of glycaemia;
80% of people with diagnosed diabetes have good control of blood pressure;
60% of people with diabetes of 40 years or older receive statins; and
100% of people with type 1 diabetes have access to affordable insulin and blood glucose self-monitoring.
About the Regional Revolving Funds
The PAHO Regional Revolving Funds (RRFs) are technical cooperation mechanisms that enable countries in the Americas to access quality medicines, vaccines, and public health supplies at affordable prices in a timely and transparent manner. Their main objective is to reduce economic and logistical barriers that impede access to essential treatments, including quality medicines and technologies for diabetes care.
Advises countries on the joint procurement of essential supplies, including medicines and technologies.
Promotes transparency, efficiency, and quality in procurement processes.
Strengthens national capacities to ensure a continuous and equitable supply.
Since their inception, the Regional Revolving Funds have been a vital instrument for guaranteeing access to health supplies in the Americas. They have been key in the fight against HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis, and have directly contributed to improving immunization, reducing maternal and infant mortality, and eradicating polio, among other advances. The PAHO Regional Revolving Funds are an essential tool for improving health and well-being in the Americas. They help countries ensure that everyone has access to the health supplies they need. More information about the fund.
FORUM: ”Diabetes and Wellbeing.” World Diabetes Day 2024. This year’s sub-theme, “Breaking Barriers, Bridging Gaps: Uniting to strengthen Diabetes wellbeing” underpins our commitment to reducing the risk of diabetes, and ensuring that all people who are diagnosed with diabetes have access to equitable, comprehensive, affordable and quality treatment and care. Join us in raising awareness, spreading knowledge and creating lasting change for all affected by diabetes. Activities will also celebrate the experiences of people with all forms of diabetes to help those impacted to take action, including seeking and obtaining essential care. Take a short survey to share your experience of how living with diabetes, or caring for someone who does, affects your physical and mental well-being. Support our call for well-being to be put at the heart of diabetes care; Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #Diabeteslife, #14November, #WorldDiabetesDay, #AccesstoDiabetesCare.
EVENTS: The observance of the World Diabetes Day 2024 will bring attention to the importance of personalized care for millions of people living with diabetes in the Regions. Research shows that patient education plays a crucial role in the management of chronic non-communicable diseases at both population and individual level, which is why person-centred, tailored diabetes care is essential. Explore the worldwide events learn more about activities in your country!
WEBINARS: November 14th marks the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, the scientist who first discovered, isolated and administered insulin in one of the greatest medical breakthroughs in history. Join us for the virtual community event in partnership with the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). During this event, we'll hear from diabetes advocates and members of IDF member organisations to learn how they celebrate World Diabetes Day in their country - and what they are advocating for on this special day.
INITIATIVES: Join the Global Diabetes Walk, an initiative created by the World Diabetes Foundation in support of World Diabetes Day. Take to the streets to raise awareness of the impact of diabetes and the importance of physical activity.
Against a background of rising diabetes prevalence in Africa, complicated by multiple drivers including urbanization, unhealthy diets and physical inactivity, the theme of World Diabetes Day Day 2024 appropriately emphasizes the imperative of a collaborative approach to this “silent killer”.
World Diabetes Day is marked annually by the international community on 14 November, with this year’s theme, “Breaking Barriers, Bridging Gaps”, underlining World Health Organization’s (WHO) commitment to reducing risk, and ensuring that everyone diagnosed with diabetes has access to equitable, comprehensive, affordable and quality treatment and care.
Diabetes, a chronic lifelong disease that leads to uncontrolled blood sugar levels because the body can no longer produce or use the insulin it produces efficiently.
In the WHO African Region alone, more than 24 million adults are currently living with diabetes, half of whom remain undiagnosed. Left untreated, diabetes can lead to complications such as heart disease, stroke, nerve damage, kidney failure, lower-limb amputation, and eye disease that can result in blindness.
Without urgent interventions, predictions are that the number of people living with diabetes in the African Region will rise to 54 million by 2045,[1],[2] the highest projected increase globally. This poses a significant dual health and economic burden, including catastrophic spending by individuals to control their disease.
Compounding the challenge is that Africa has the lowest investment rate in diabetes care worldwide, at only 1% of the region’s health expenditure. Health systems are also traditionally designed to deal with acute, infectious diseases, without sufficient attention paid to chronic diseases like diabetes.
Managing diabetes requires a sustained effort to balance physical health activity, healthy diet, mental well-being, and WHO in the African Region is committed to holistic solutions, including proper nutrition, access to the requisite essential medicines, and mental health support. Equally crucial are comprehensive prevention strategies to address risk factors including obesity, poor diet and physical activity, combined with community engagement to ensure good support systems and reduced stigma.
In an important step forward at the Seventy-fourth session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa in August this year, African Member States endorsed WHO’s Framework for the Implementation of the Global Diabetes Compact (GDC) in Africa. Focused specifically on the challenge of integrating diabetes care into broader health systems in a multi-sectoral approach, it provides a roadmap for countries to strengthen diabetes prevention, diagnosis and care, especially at primary health care level.
On World Diabetes Day today, I urge individuals, communities, governments, health workers, policymakers and civil society organizations to join hands and act now. For individuals, prioritize healthy lifestyle, and if you’re already living with diabetes, have regular medical check-ups.
Communities can play their role by creating supportive environments that promote healthy living, reduce stigma, and provide access to affordable diabetes care and education. For governments, we commit our full support to your efforts to implement policies that enhance access to essential medicines, strengthen primary health care systems, and foreground investment in diabetes prevention and care.
Strengthening diabetes control in the African region demands that we address key gaps, including myths and misconceptions about diabetes, fragile primary health care systems and insufficient capacity and training of health care workers.
Together, let us all commit to breaking down the barriers and addressing the gaps, by raising awareness, spreading knowledge, and creating lasting change for everyone in Africa affected by diabetes.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Rebecca Moeti.
