IDF EUROPE’S EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES… COMING SOON!

Country Profiles

2021 marks the Centenary of the Discovery of Insulin and IDF Europe's three-year campaign (which started in January, with the webinar ‘Imagining the next 100 years of diabetes’) is successfully moving forward, aiming to raise awareness about diabetes and promote access to diabetes care and education across Europe. Our next step is to release two country profiles every month, presenting national key facts about diabetes to dispel common misperceptions about the condition and break the stigma around Type 2 diabetes. Accompanying the country profiles will be video testimonials of young advocates from our YOURAH network, sharing their personal stories and experiences about access to diabetes care and education in their countries. 

We thank our Member Associations and those young advocates who have already accepted to be part of our campaign. We look forward to more discussions with all our network over the next few months!

Youth Leadership Lab/Camp 2021

IDF Europe is already searching for a new generation of young leaders to engage in its strong pan-European network and work to achieve a common goal – a better life for all people living with diabetes. We believe that education, motivation and practice are the drivers of leadership, and this is why we are planning the next Youth Leadership Lab, IDF Europe’s leadership development programme which aims to inspire young people to become leading diabetes advocates at national and European levels. 

The call for applications will be open soon. If you are 18-30 years old, living with all types of diabetes, with excellent English skills and a passion for diabetes issues, stay tuned for more information!

MEPs MOBILISING FOR DIABETES (MMD) EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

IDF Europe manages the Secretariat of the MEP interest group, MEPs Mobilising for Diabetes (MMD), which, under co-chairs MEP Sirpa Pietikäinen and MEP Christel Schaldemose, aims to elevate diabetes on the public agenda and foster key policy changes in Europe. MMD builds on the work started nearly 20 years ago by the EU Diabetes Working Group to promote an understanding of the multi-faceted nature of diabetes and dispel common misperceptions.

'Blueprint for Action on Diabetes in the European Union by 2030’: An MMD Webinar

The Blueprint is the cornerstone of the activities of MMD and is also a critical tool for everyone, at national and European level, who is committed to improving the policy response to the growing burden of diabetes in Europe. The document is written from the perspective of people living with diabetes in Europe and contains recommendations of actions to be implemented to improve their quality of life.

MMD Resources

NEWS FROM EUROPE

MEPs call for special attention to be given to a European Health Data Space

Diabetes is a condition that makes much use of numbers, calculations, and data. The increased digitalisation of health services and a harmonised EU-wide data framework have the potential to help improve the quality of life of people living with diabetes, reduce the incidence of Type 2 diabetes, and decrease the cost of diabetes-related healthcare expenditure. On 24 February 2021, the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research, and Energy (ITRE) adopted a draft report on a European Strategy for Data. MEPs asked that special attention be given to the European Health Data Space, a request that MMD is very supportive of since the ‘Blueprint for Action on Diabetes in the EU by 2030’ identifies data and digitalisation as key enablers to flatten the diabetes curve.

Click here to discover more. 

The European Parliament signs off on landmark EU4Health programme

The €5.1 billion EU4Health programme for 2021-2027 received the European Parliament’s sign-off on March 9, with 631 MEPs voting in favour, 32 against, and 34 abstaining. The rapporteur for the programme, MEP Cristian-Silviu Buşoi (EPP/Romania), described the budget as adequate, falling short of the initial proposal of €9 billion, yet 12 times bigger than that of previous programmes.  

EU4Health aims to make EU health systems more resilient by enhancing coordination among Member States and placing more focus on data sharing, as well as making medicines and medical devices more affordable and accessible. At least 20% of the entire budget is dedicated to disease prevention and health promotion, which IDF Europe views as critical to reduce the incidence of Type 2 diabetes and improve diabetes management and care across Europe. The programme will also support actions linked to the digitalisation of health services and the creation of a European “health data space”. 

The programme has been published in the EU's Official Journal and came into force on March 26, 2021. The adoption of the first Work Programme for 2021 will be done in consultation with Member States in the EU4Health Steering Group. The Commission has allocated EUR 316 million for the work programme and actions that will be launched this year, rising to over EUR 900 million in 2027.

Click here to find out more.  

WHO Consultation on People Living with Diabetes

Engaging with people with lived experience of diabetes is not a tokenism for WHO but a priority. During the WHO informal consultation of people living with diabetes (PwD) held on March 9-11, around 100 participants shared their stories, experiences and expertise on how they could partner and engage in the design, governance, implementation, and evaluation of the WHO Global Diabetes Compact. The overall goal of the Compact, which will be launched on April 14,  is to support countries in implementing effective diabetes prevention and management programmes. On the prevention side, it will focus on reducing obesity – especially among young people. On the treatment side, the main goal will be to improve access to diabetes medicines and technologies, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Now is the time to operationalise PwD’s meaningful engagement and for them to drive the narrative. As stated by Emma Klatman, Global Policy and Advocacy Manager at Life for a Child, “Patience is not a virtue when people do not have access to the highest attainable standards of care and have to hear stigmatizing/shaming language.” 

Health policy expected to be a prominent topic at the Conference on the Future of Europe

On March 10, 2021, European Parliament President, David Sassoli, António Costa, Portugal’s Prime Minister, on behalf of the Presidency of the Council, and Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen signed the Joint Declaration on the Conference on the Future of Europe. 

The Conference aims to give citizens a greater say in shaping EU policies and ambitions. It seeks to develop a platform where citizens from all corners of the EU can have a transparent and structured debate on issues that matter most to them, ranging from economic recovery, health and well-being, innovation and digitalisation, to climate and the environment. Health and health policy are likely to be prominent topics during the Conference, with strong engagement of experts and researchers, civil society, NGOs, and patient organisations. While one of the EU’s health pillars, the Beating Cancer Plan, is expected to be high on the agenda, it is important that other non-communicable diseases, including diabetes, should not be overlooked.   

The opening event of the Conference is tentatively planned to take place on 9 May, Europe’s day, in Strasbourg. The Conference is expected to reach conclusions to provide guidance on the future of Europe by Spring 2022. 

Click here to learn more.

IDF EUROPE ADVOCACY AND COMMUNICATIONS WORK

The European Public Health Alliance relaunches the European Charter for Health Equity

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a milestone for European history; equality and non-discrimination have been identified as guiding principles for many policy and legislative frameworks and their role in building an equitable and fair society is of utmost importance. However, the current social, economic and political situation across Europe has demonstrated existing gaps and limitations in human rights protection. This is why the European Public Health Alliance decided to relaunch the European Charter for Health Equity, first issued in 2010, to reaffirm the commitment to the fundamental rights of every human being to safeguard health protection and prevention, and ensure it is accessible, available and affordable for all. 

IDF Europe signed the EPHA Revised Charter on Health Equity, as we strongly believe that tackling health disparities is a path towards societal progress and stability across Europe. Health and well-being must be placed at the heart of European and national policies, and they must promote equality and equity across Europe by ensuring stronger human rights protection for society’s most vulnerable members, such as people living with diabetes. 

International Days are a great opportunity for IDF Europe to communicate on diabetes and to raise awareness. Click on the pictures to learn more about our initiatives.  

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