Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs Richard Marles launched the new Action Plan for the Western Pacific Diabetes Declaration 2012–2015 (WPDD) at Parliament House on Wednesday, 13 March, at an event hosted by Diabetes Australia.
Diabetes is a significant problem for many communities globally and particularly in the Western Pacific region.
Pacific island countries have among the highest rates of diabetes in the world. In Kiribati, one in four people have diabetes. In the Marshall Islands, Nauru and Tuvalu the rate is around one in five.
Pacific Island people are not only at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but often die earlier from diabetes complications when compared to people in Australia and elsewhere around the world.
"We are supporting high impact, low cost interventions to strengthen Pacific island health systems and to support health promotion through education and sport," said Mr Marles.
"This is simple, cost-effective stuff–and I'm so pleased to say we are starting to see important results."
In Samoa, Australia has funded an non-communicable diseases (NCDs) screening program for diabetes and hypertension in all villages, programs promoting healthy nutrition for children, and provision of equipment and medical supplies to Samoa's National Diabetes Association.
In Tonga, Australian aid is supporting primary health care centres to monitor and treat diabetes and other NCDs through training nurses with specialist skills in NCDs and provision of equipment.
Australia is supporting the establishment of diabetes centres in Fiji and has funded the development of a tool kit for early screening and diagnosis of diabetes and other NCDs.
In Nauru, Australian aid is supporting a school feeding program to promote healthy nutrition and diagnostic, preventive and treatment services for diabetes and other NCDs.
The Australian Government is committed to preventing NCDs such as diabetes. Prime Minister Gillard announced funding of $25 million over four years at the 2011 Pacific Islands Forum to combat NCDs in the region.