Australian Government Supports World Diabetes Day

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PDF printable version of Australian Government Supports World Diabetes Day (PDF 15 KB)

14 November 2009

Today is World Diabetes Day – with the theme ‘Understand diabetes and take control.’

There are more than eight hundred thousand Australians diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and this figure is projected to rise substantially in the next 10-15 years. We also know that there are a large number of people who have diabetes, but are not yet aware of it.

The Rudd Government is tackling diabetes on several fronts – prevention, early detection, treatment and research.

The Government has contributed $103.4 million towards a Council of Australian Governments commitment of $200 million to tackle the physical, emotional and economic cost of Type 2 diabetes.

As part of this Medicare initiative general practitioners can undertake a diabetes risk evaluation for people aged 40-49 age group who are at high risk of the disease. GPs can then refer high risk patients to subsidised lifestyle programs to help them to prevent the onset of diabetes.

The Rudd Government subsidises insulin pumps for children with Type 1 diabetes under the age of 18. This program, which began a year ago, is an investment of $5.5 million over four years that is bringing real relief to young diabetes sufferers and their families.

In addition the government spends over $400 million on diabetes products and medicines each year – helping diabetes suffers manage their condition.

Continued research into the condition is essential. Last year the National Health and Medical Research Council invested more than $57 million for diabetes research.

Left unmanaged, diabetes can lead to serious complications – heart disease, stroke, kidney failure and circulatory problems. It impacts on quality of life, the ability to work, national productivity and costs the health budget close to a billion dollars per year.

On this World Diabetes Day, I urge the Senate to pass the legislation to establish a National Preventative Health Agency.

The establishment of the Agency by 1 January 2010 is a key weapon in the Government’s fight against obesity, chronic disease and alcohol and tobacco addiction. The Agency will have a key role in driving the record $872 million investment by this Government in health prevention.

To draw attention to the importance of tackling diabetes, Diabetes Australia has organised to light up in blue Old Parliament House and Parliament House in Canberra. They will be among 600 iconic buildings worldwide specially lit this weekend.

World Diabetes Day is marked on 14 November, the birthday of Frederick Banting who, along with Charles Best, first conceived the idea which led to the discovery of insulin in 1922.

For all media inquiries, please contact the Minister's Office on 02 6277 7220.