What is the meaning and importance of World Diabetes Day which is celebrated, as every year, on 14 November? We talked about it with Dr. Fabio Celletti and Dr. Ilaria Malandrucco.
Dr. Celletti, what is the theme of World Diabetes Day 2022?
The theme of World Diabetes Day 2022, chosen by the International Diabetes Federation, is access to care for all, as millions of people around the world still cannot get the therapies available.
Dr. Malandrucco, why is World Diabetes Day celebrated on November 14th?
Because on 14 November he was born to Prof. Frederick Grant Banting, who together with his student Charles Best isolated insulin in 1921, changing the history of people with diabetes mellitus and allowing them to survive. For this, Banting and Best, with Macleod and Collip won the Nobel Prize in 1923.
Dr. Celletti, what progress has been made since then?
In these 101 years, numerous therapies for diabetes have been developed. More and more innovative drugs are now available to better treat this disease and prevent its chronic complications, which are: myocardial infarction, STROKE, kidney failure, reduced vision, neuropathy and ulcers in the lower limbs.
Dr. Malandrucco, does technology see a place of use in diabetes care?
Technology is widely used in diabetes care. Today, continuous blood glucose monitoring systems are available that allow this parameter to be monitored 24 hours a day. In addition, these systems are able to communicate with the insulin pump and in this way the patient receives a continuous infusion of the insulin they need from moment to moment. In our UOSD of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, at the headquarters of the Hospital of Frosinone, we have activated clinics dedicated to people with diabetes who use or wish to use advanced technologies applied to diabetes.
Dr. Celletti, are there many people with diabetes in our ASL?
Today in Italy the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes is close to 6% with over 3.5 million people living with this disease in our country. To these numbers must be added an estimated share of about 1.5 million people who, despite having the disease, are still unaware of it. The province of Frosinone, with a population of 500,000, has over 30,000 people with diabetes. With these numbers it is easy to understand that the problem concerns us very closely.
Dr. Malandrucco, what is the strategy to put in place to fight against diabetes?
Great efforts must be made to promote the prevention, timely diagnosis and correct treatment of diabetes; weapons, these, which have proved successful in combating the disease.
Dr. Celletti, in the UOSD of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases you direct, what services are active for the person with diabetes?
The UOSD of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases is organized in several locations throughout the territory where diabetological visits are carried out. At the Frosinone Hospital there are clinics dedicated to advanced technologies applied to diabetes and clinics dedicated to diabetes in pregnancy. The UOSD also has a dietitian service dedicated to people with diabetes.
Dr. Malandrucco, do you also deal with telemedicine?
In our UOSD, telemedicine is activated, which allows the person with diabetes unable to come to the clinic, to make the diabetic visit while staying at home. This is with a view to increasingly responding to the needs of patients in the spirit of the theme of World Diabetes Day 2022: “Access to care for all”
