Early Detection Saves Lives: Non-Communicable Diseases in children need urgent action
Call to action for affordable and accessible treatment for children, adolescents, and young people, with need for early detection and monitoring measures.
Udaipur : Early diagnosis and treatment of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), including Type 1 Diabetes, is critical for care and quality of life, discussed experts in a high-level meeting held here today. The meeting was organized by Breakthrough T1D and the Friends of Mewar in collaboration with UNICEF.
Hosted by Padmaja Kumari Parmar, Breakthrough T1D Global Ambassador, the meeting was participated by multi-stakeholder partners including representatives from Breakthrough T1D, UNICEF, Friends of Mewar, charitable institutions, clinicians, civil society organizations and ImPatient Network, a coalition of community members and individuals living with T1D.
NCDs are a significant global health challenge, contributing to 17 million premature deaths annually, with 86 per cent of deaths in low and middle-income countries. India is experiencing a shift in disease burden from infectious diseases to non-communicable diseases with NCDs accounting for 66 per cent of all deaths, 22 per cent of which were premature.
Padmaja Kumari Parmar, Breakthrough T1D Global Ambassador said, “Access to healthcare and timely treatment is critical for managing noncommunicable disease like Type 1 Diabetes. We need many different stakeholders coming together for improving health outcomes for children and youth at risk of NCDs. This collaboration with partners is important for progress and sustainability of initiatives, commitment, and innovation to ensure children with noncommunicable diseases like T1D receive care and support they need for many, many generations to come.”
In her message to children with the condition and their parents, she said, “You must always strive to live your best and healthiest life. There are many misconceptions and myths on T1D, and you must get accurate information on the disease and its treatment. Remain positive as it helps in tackling T1D management and outcomes.”
There are children and young people living with T1D in India, facing challenges in accessing healthcare and insulin therapy and continue to encounter social stigma, especially girls.
Speaking on the early detection, care and management needed for children and young people living with NCDs, Cynthia McCaffrey, UNICEF India Representative said, “UNICEF’s mandate is to protect children’s rights, to help children survive and thrive. The epidemiological burden is shifting to non-communicable diseases, that includes Type 1 Diabetes, and is rising among children and adolescents globally and in India, who need immediate attention. Children and youth from vulnerable communities are at greatest risk as they are often excluded from global NCD targets contributing to poor identification and intervention for treatable conditions.
“UNICEF recognizes that it is critical to integrate NCD care into primary healthcare, along with specialized capacity building on one hand and community awareness and demand creation on the other. An effective system for early detection, care and treatment of children with T1D, birth defects developmental disabilities to enable them to live to their full potential.
“The partners convened here today are taking a significant step toward improved NCD detection, affordable quality care and management and building a social support system that leaves no one behind,” she added.
Dr Stephanie Pearson, Senior Director, Global Access, Breakthrough T1D said, “Our organization helps make everyday life with T1D better, while driving towards cures. But the T1D Index has provided us with critical insights into the burden of T1D globally for the first time, and shone a light into some stark numbers for India that we had to act on. The current the situation in India, is both a challenge and an opportunity.”
Mridula Kapil Bhargava, Founder, Diabetes Fighters Trust and Impatient Network Fellow, said, “As a person with T1D for more than three decades and an advocate, I firmly believe in the basic right to life for everyone living with T1D. Insulin and blood glucose monitoring are necessities; however high out-of-pocket expenses have led to tragic outcomes, especially for young girls and women. When treatments and solutions exist, their access, availability and affordability must be ensured for all. The Impatient Network in India, urges government, UNICEF and other stakeholders for concrete person-centric solutions and for lived experience to be included in policymaking.”
UNICEF’s focus on NCDs in children responds to changing epidemiological disease patterns in childhood survival and development in India and aims to enhance health systems’ capacity to prioritize the developmental needs of children while reducing mortality rates. UNICEF plans to support the National Program for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCDs) through policy advocacy, partnerships, data and knowledge management, health promotion, and the integration of care models. UNICEF also focuses on driving social behavior changes, engaging communities, and implementing multi-sectoral actions and training initiatives on the same.