The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) will launch the first ever global Diabetes Scorecard to measure government commitments on diabetes at the 66th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva from May 20.

Our focus is the 371 million people with diabetes, and millions more living at risk, worldwide. In September 2011, governments pledged to improve diabetes prevention, treatment and management at the historic United Nations Summit on Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs). But despite historical political commitment, there is often no means or mechanism for those affected to hold governments accountable.

Two years on, IDF’s Global Diabetes Scorecard will track progress for action for the first time. It will enable IDF and our network of Member Associations to hold governments accountable to the UN Political Declaration on NCD Prevention and Control, and Global Targets set to be adopted at the 66^th World Health Assembly. These agreements are a historic pledge to take action which – if fulfilled – will result in tangible change for people with diabetes today. As the experience of the HIV/AIDs community has shown, accountability and civil society monitoring will be crucial to ensure commitments translate into action.

The Scorecard will measure progress on four key elements – prevention, treatment, rights and political leadership, – critical for an effective national response to diabetes. This data will show which countries and regions are succeeding, failing, and where further action or support is needed.

Developed through extensive consultation with IDF’s regional and national network and external experts in global health, the Scorecard is a comprehensive tool that will be relevant in all countries. It will have the scope for adaptation within other disease communities, and as governments make further commitments – including in the future development agenda after the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) end in 2015.

As part of the production process, IDF's 200 Member Associations will take part in workshops dedicated to the Scorecard at the World Diabetes Congress in Melbourne from December 2-6, 2013.

Download a snapshot of the Diabetes Scorecard here.The Scorecard will be launched parallel to the UN Secretary General’s first ever Progress Report on NCDs in December 2013. IDF will align data collection and monitoring to official UN and World Health Organisation (WHO) timelines, supporting and guiding governments to drive real change for diabetes.

IDF gratefully acknowledges the support of Bupa – the international healthcare group – in the project.

In the latest edition of Diabetes Voice, read about IDF's BRIDGES project to promote diabetes education and prevention through community theatre in Fiji.

Many Pacific Island nations are experiencing a diabetes epidemic: 40% of the adult population of Nauru is affected by the disease, as is 26% of adults in Samoa, and 25% in both the Indigenous Fijian and Indo-Fijian groups in Fiji. These high prevalences have been attributed to increasing levels of urbanisation,changes in diet and, increasingly sedentary lifestyles.

BRIDGES (Bringing Research in Diabetes to Global Environments and Systems) is a programme of the International Diabetes Federation, and supported by an educational grant from Lilly Diabetes. BRIDGES funds translational research projects in primary and secondary prevention of diabetes to provide the opportunity to ‘translate’ lessons learned from clinical research to those who can benefit most: people affected by diabetes.

Read the Diabetes Voice article

More details on the Fiji programme.

Following the launch the IDF Europe survey on Access to medicines and medical devices for diabetes care in Europe, the 3 questionnaires for people with diabetes, health care professionals and institutions are now available in all language versions. Click here to access all the questionnaires!

More information about the survey can be found here.

The deadline to complete the questionnaires has been extended to Friday 24 May 2013. Please encourage your contacts to fill the questionnaire online. For those unable to use online versions and thus, completing WORD versions of the questionnaire, please send a scanned or electronic copy completed by email or printed + faxed to: 

For any questions or comments, please contact Stefan Callan at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Elodie Besnier at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.