In 2019, forced migration reached a record level with 70.8 million displaced people. It should also be noted, however, that 100 million people were affected by conflicts without being displaced and 175 million affected by natural disasters. 85% of the…
The World Health Organization (WHO) today announced the start of a pilot programme to prequalify human insulin to increase treatment for diabetes in low- and middle-income countries. The decision, announced ahead of World Diabetes Day (14 November), is part of a series…
“I would only inject a little bit of the prescription so that we could reserve it for another day until we got some money.” In 2014, Viola received a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. This form of the disease means…
Before Syria's civil war began, Hamad, 67, was a successful farmer in Tafas, a town not far from Syria’s border with Israel. Together with his sons, he farmed 100 acres of fertile tomato fields and olive groves. He took pride…
Because we did not have insulin or glucose strips with which to monitor them, they all died within hours of ... Source: MedScape
In 2 years, the world will celebrate the centenary of the discovery of insulin for the treatment of diabetes. An estimated 20–40 million people worldwide require this essential medicine for survival. This includes all patients with type 1 diabetes who…
Multisectoral networks have a vital role in meeting the needs of vulnerable people, says Ruth Hunter. Human suffering in humanitarian settings is not just a direct result of a conflict or humanitarian disaster but includes death and disability from non-communicable…
With diabetes rapidly spreading around the globe, its prevalence among refugees and others fleeing war and natural disaster has also risen. But awareness of diabetes as a medical issue humanitarian workers should be ready to deal with has lagged. That…
Imagine a resident physician working at a low-resource hospital in sub-Saharan Africa. A young patient presents to her clinic with the symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis resulting from uncontrolled type 1 diabetes, a complication which is easily treatable with insulin and…
Few expenses will drain a family’s financial and emotional resources faster than a member being affected by a serious chronic disease. Chronic (non-communicable) diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, and lung disease are expensive to treat, often require lifelong…