The WHO identifies uncontrolled diabetes as a leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke, and lower-limb amputation
(OdishaPlus Bureau)
As the world marks World Diabetes Day under the 2025 theme “Diabetes across life stages,” the public health community is confronting a crisis of unprecedented scale. A landmark study co-authored by the World Health Organization (WHO) and published in The Lancet in late 2024 reveals a shocking statistic: of the 828 million adults living with diabetes globally, over a quarter—212 million—are in India.
This staggering new figure eclipses the 2023 ICMR–INDIAB study, which had estimated 101 million cases. The crisis is not just in the numbers but in the “care gap.” The Lancet report highlights that India is home to 133 million adults with untreated diabetes, a silent cohort at high risk of severe complications.
In response to this escalating global emergency, the WHO is championing its Global Diabetes Compact, a sweeping initiative launched to fundamentally change the trajectory of the disease by 2030.
A New Global Blueprint for Action
The WHO Global Diabetes Compact, launched in 2021 to mark the 100th anniversary of insulin’s discovery, is not just an awareness campaign; it is a strategic action plan. Its vision is to reduce the risk of diabetes and ensure that all people diagnosed have access to equitable, comprehensive, affordable, and quality treatment and care.
The Compact is built on five concrete global targets to be achieved by 2030:
- 80% of people with diabetes are diagnosed.
- 80% of people with diagnosed diabetes have good control of glycaemia (blood sugar).
- 80% of people with diagnosed diabetes have good control of blood pressure.
- 60% of people with diabetes (40 years or older) receive statins (to manage cholesterol).
- 100% of people with type 1 diabetes have access to affordable insulin and blood glucose self-monitoring.
How the Compact Works: From Policy to Patients
These targets are underpinned by six key workstreams, including prevention of type 2 diabetes by addressing obesity, unhealthy diets, and physical inactivity.
A critical mechanism for achieving the “100% access” goal is the WHO Prequalification Programme for Insulin. For decades, the global insulin market has been dominated by a few companies, keeping prices high. This program breaks that barrier by “prequalifying” more manufacturers of safe and effective insulin, including biosimilars. This fosters competition, stabilizes supply, and is designed to dramatically drive down prices, making life-saving medicine accessible in low- and middle-income countries like India.
For India, the Global Compact provides crucial benchmarks and technical tools to strengthen its own National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS). It provides a global standard to measure national success.
The Drivers and the Devastating Impact
The drivers of this epidemic are deeply embedded in modern life: rapid urbanization, sedentary lifestyles, and a profound nutritional shift toward ultra-processed foods, refined carbohydrates, and sugary beverages.
The toll is devastating. The WHO identifies uncontrolled diabetes as a leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke, and lower-limb amputation.
This crisis is no longer confined to the elderly. The theme “Diabetes across life stages” is a direct response to the surge of Type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents, a trend linked to rising childhood obesity.
This health crisis extends directly into the economic sphere. A recent global study by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) on diabetes in the workplace found that 55% of employees with diabetes in India reported negative treatment. This stigma leads to poor self-management, high anxiety, and significant loss of productivity.
Turning the Tide: Prevention and Management
While the statistics are grim, experts stress that Type 2 diabetes is largely preventable, and all forms of diabetes can be managed.
Prevention: The WHO’s strategy focuses on lifestyle modification. Studies show that losing just 5-7% of body weight and engaging in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (like brisk walking) per week can reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by over 50%.
Management: For the 212 million Indians living with the condition, the mantra is “Activity, Alertness, and Awareness.” This includes:
- Regular Monitoring: Consistently checking blood sugar levels.
- Healthy Diet: Mindful meal planning that balances carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
- Physical Activity: Exercise helps the body use insulin more efficiently.
- Healthcare Partnership: Working closely with doctors to adjust medication and lifestyle.
In this spirit of public outreach, the IFI Foundation, a not-for-profit organization, has hosted a public health campaign on digital media for World Diabetes Day. In collaboration with Swasthya Plus Network and OdishaLIVE, the campaign aims to make people aware of diabetes and its prevention through simple habit changes. The campaign features a set of short informational videos based on interviews with doctors, which are being posted across the social media channels of the IFI Foundation and its partners.
This World Diabetes Day serves as a critical call to action, urging individuals to assess their risk, employers to create supportive environments, and policymakers to accelerate the adoption of global standards to fight this epidemic.
(This article was curated and drafted with the assistance of AI tools to compile comprehensive information. It has been reviewed and edited by the OdishaPlus editorial team.)
