Ensuring full and equitable access to care for people with diabetes and taking care of their needs as citizens in the places of life, work, study, community: these are the themes at the center of the debate at the first Diabetes Patient Summit, which begins today . The two-day meeting, entitled “For people with people. Taking care of and taking care of citizens’ health ”, is organized by the Italian Barometer Diabetes Foundation (Ibdo Foundation) and by the Intergroup“ Obesity and Diabetes ”, in collaboration with Anci Comunicare and with the non-conditioning support of Novo Nordisk. In the world – recalls a note – almost half a billion people have diabetes and, according to estimates by the International Diabetes Federation, the prevalence will grow by more than 50% in the next quarter of a century, reaching 700 million people globally in the 2045. In 2019, diabetes was the fourth leading cause of disability, causing the direct or indirect death of 4.2 million people and spending $ 760 billion on the treatment and management of complications. Alarming numbers, so much so that its spread has now become, together with that of other chronic non-communicable diseases, a global health priority and has become part of the United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development for 2030, recalls the note . “It is necessary to take coordinated and concerted action to tackle diabetes as a critical global health problem, which, at a time like this, cannot ignore the Covid-19 emergency we are facing and which is compromising care for people. with chronic diseases, such as diabetes and obesity, and has highlighted even more their fragility and vulnerability “, explains Massimo Massi Benedetti, President and scientific director of Hub for International Health Research.” The data available – continues Massi Benedetti – in fact, it has been shown that diabetes represents one of the first risk factors for developing the most serious forms of the disease, which require hospitalization in the ICU and who have a worse prognosis. If on the one hand the poor control of the disease increases the risk of complications related to the disease itself, on the other it is responsible for a greater vulnerability to acute events such as Covid “.” The pandemic has put back at the center of public decisions and individual priorities include issues concerning health, both collective and individual, as a common good. At this time of revision of the health system it is necessary to streamline the bureaucratic procedures and make access to care homogeneous throughout the national territory, eliminating the existing disparities, to ensure that people with diabetes can receive the innovative treatments and treatments mentioned above. they need for optimal glycemic control “, says Senator Emanuela Baio, president of the Committee for the rights of people with diabetes. Although it was drafted over 10 years ago, with some updates related to current events, the ‘Manifesto of rights and duties of people with diabetes’ – he underlines – is more relevant than ever and still today represents an essential instrument of dialogue with the institutions, to guide actions and establish priorities with patient associations, as bearers of these rights “.” imminent season of redesign, in light of the pandemic impacts, of our NHS – says Roberto Pella, President of the Parliamentary Intergroup or besità e diabetes and Deputy Vice President Anci – will have to include solutions to the needs expressed by people with diabetes, as a paradigm of chronicity. The involvement of the territories and local decision makers, the development of proximity networks, the implementation of telemedicine tools are key elements that will allow a more effective patient care and, even more, that will allow to ‘take care’ of the citizen. , of his quality of life and his well-being “.” The centrality of patients in planning health care choices and their involvement in the care and treatment process is an essential fact in a modern health system interested in the effectiveness and efficiency of services offered, as well as the quality and safety of care. For this reason it is of fundamental importance that the representatives of patient associations develop and consolidate the skills necessary to improve the health and quality of life of the people they represent, becoming active subjects, with a leadership capable of taking the lead in the implementation of the contents. de ‘Il Manifesto of the rights and duties of people with diabetes’ and to work closely with each other in order to protect the rights of the people they represent “, says Teresa Petrangolini, director of Patient Advocacy Lab (Pal) Altems, Sacred Heart Catholic University. “Assistance to people with diabetes is a topic that takes on even more relevance in the year in which the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin is celebrated, an event that has made the history of medicine and has allowed millions of people to live peacefully with a disease with a poor prognosis until 2021 “, comments Renato Lauro, president of IT alian Barometer Diabetes Foundation, who adds: “Precisely on the occasion of this important celebration we decided to organize, for the first time, an event dedicated exclusively to people with diabetes, through the associations that represent them, before the traditional Italian Diabetes Barometer Forum, this year in its fourteenth edition and to be held on July 7 “.” At Novo Nordisk we are aware of the importance of the role of patient associations in promoting and strengthening health policies aimed at guaranteeing access to innovative care and treatments in homogeneous way in the territory “, declares Drago Vuina, General Manager and Corporate Vice President of Novo Nordisk Italy. “We hope that this event will be useful to promote an increasingly active and aware role of the patient in managing their own care path”, he concludes.