World Congress Tackles Diabetes Management with Technology
17 December 2013 at 9:43 am
Young global diabetes advocates joined forces to help design a sophisticated eHealth app for diabetes prevention and management, expected to assist more than a million Australians living with diabetes.
As part of the recent World Diabetes Congress program in Melbourne, Nigerian Prince and International Diabetes Federation Young Leader, Prince Ikenna Nwaturuocha, joined 170 Young Leaders representing 69 countries to solidify the group’s vision for a world-leading digital platform.
The output will directly feed the development of Diabetes Australia’s eHealth app, supported by a donation of up to $1 million through the 2013 eftpos Giveback campaign.
eftpos CEO Bruce Mansfield welcomed the opportunity to bring together leading young minds to tackle key issues with technology.
“Diabetes prevention and management is one of Australia’s most pressing issues, and we are excited to see Diabetes Australia’s digital platform take shape from this collaborative approach,” Mansfield said.
Diabetes Australia spokesperson Renza Scibilia said the forum highlighted how the lives of those living with and managing diabetes could benefit from digital support at the click of a button.
“Having lived with diabetes for 15 years, I understand diabetes adds an extra degree of difficulty to each and every day,” Scibilia said
“The new eHealth app will be about connecting people with diabetes prevention and management tools and resources, and what better way to make it a world-class platform than calling upon direct experiences of young community leaders from around the world.”
The young leaders have come from near and far, noting Liggjas Samuelsen, who travelled 16,000km from the remote Faroe Islands, located in the North Atlantic Ocean between Norway and Iceland.
Closer to home is Merren McLean from Carlton, whose transit entailed a single tram ride.
“Getting to know other young people with diabetes from all over the globe has been a truly amazing experience. Culturally we are such a diverse group, but it’s incredible to know that we all – no matter the language – can relate to one another’s stories about the good days and bad days,” McLean said.
“It’s these daily experiences and our vigour to drive change that will make our summit so valuable to the development of this eHealth app. It’s a fantastic opportunity for us to impact something that has the promise to help millions of Australians, and the potential to be used as a digital blueprint globally.”
More than 1.5 million Australians are living with diabetes, and it is the country’s fastest growing chronic condition. World-wide, 382 million people are living with diabetes, and it claimed the lives of 5.1 million people globally last year.
The World Diabetes Congress in Melbourne ran from December 2-6, bringing together health care professionals, researchers, policy makers and people with diabetes, their families and their carers.
