Nurses on the front line of DIABETES FIGHT

THIS YEAR we commemorate World Diabetes Day under the theme ‘Nurses make a difference’. This is a fitting theme as the year 2020 has also been designated as ‘The Year of the Nurse’. The nurse, and in particular the nurse educator, has been at the front line of the fight against diabetes by promoting its prevention and control.

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that affects one in every 11 persons over the age of 18 years globally. In Jamaica, 12 per cent of persons over 15 years have diabetes and another 12 per cent are at high risk of developing the disease as they have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes.

Diabetes mellitus also affects the immunity of patients and their ability to fight infectious diseases. Individuals with diabetes are up to three times more likely to have severe symptoms or die from COVID-19, and the situation is likely to be worse for people with uncontrolled diabetes. In the Caribbean and the Region of the Americas, three to four out of every 10 persons with diabetes are undiagnosed and of those who have been diagnosed, 50 to 75 per cent are not well controlled.

It is possible to prevent the onset of diabetes as well as to delay or avoid the development of complications of the disease; however, the lack of access to quality healthcare services and lack of knowledge of preventive measures are widespread. The Pan American Health Organization promotes universal access to healthcare to ensure diabetes prevention and control programmes reach all sectors of the population. We also support the primary prevention of diabetes through activities such as health promotion, creation of public health policies focused on food, diet and physical activity, and creation of healthy environments.

The diabetes nurse educator is uniquely positioned to support and guide persons as they seek to make the healthy lifestyle choices.

Nurses are the largest occupational group in the health sector, accounting for 59 per cent of the total health workforce, yet there is a global shortage of 5.9 million nurses. At present, the world does not have a global nursing workforce commensurate with the universal health coverage and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). It is, therefore, incumbent on all to

support the nurses to carry out their roles and functions in the fight against diabetes, and especially in these times of uncertainty related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In commemoration of the World Diabetes Day 2020, the World Health Organization will be announcing the Global Diabetes Compact initiative to drive real and sustained improvements in diabetes care by 2030.