The National Guidelines on Diabetes Mellitus were launched

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh (BADAS) have provided technical support to the Non-Communicable Disease Control (NCDC) to develop a National Guideline on Diabetes Mellitus, says a press release. The guideline was launched on August 6, 2023, and it will help guide Bangladeshi physicians to choose adequate treatment for managing their patients.

Diabetes is a long-lasting illness that requires continuous medical care and patient self-management education for optimal management outcomes and to reduce the risk of complications. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) reported that Bangladesh is in the 8th position in the world ranking, with 13.1 million people having diabetes.

JICA's technical cooperation project for 'Strengthening Health Care Systems for Organising Communities' (previously known as SHASTO) closely worked with the NCDC and the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) to develop and implement the NCDC's programme activities, including promoting the NCD management model to prevent hypertension and diabetes.

Regarding the launch, Mr KOMORI Takashi, Senior Representative, Japan International Cooperation Agency, said, "JICA is pleased to provide technical support to NCDC, DGHS, BADAS, and the Government of Bangladesh to establish the National Guideline on Diabetes Mellitus to help the physicians offer appropriate treatment to the patients. We hope the guidelines will help healthcare professionals ensure high-quality healthcare services, improving patient outcomes and quality of life. We all want to strengthen the healthcare system in Bangladesh. We are also looking forward to launching The Project to Strengthen Healthcare Systems for Preventing Non-communicable Diseases (SHASTO2) this month. It will be part of our continuous alliance with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW)." 

The National Guideline on Diabetes Mellitus would provide evidence-based guidance for diagnosing, preventing, and managing diabetes in Bangladesh that has been tailored to local practises, needs, and resources. It would cover numerous aspects of diabetes care, including screening, risk assessment, glycemic control, use of medications, insulin therapy, lifestyle intervention, and managing diabetes-related problems such as retinopathy, neuropathy, and nephropathy.