Transforming healthcare: Raising awareness of diabetes globally with Holistic solutions

All countries are experiencing these challenges and are trying to find innovative strategies to reduce the economic burden and enhance patient quality of life.

In an exclusive interview at the Ambassador's office, Jon Thorgaard, Ambassador of Denmark to Thailand, and Enrico Cañal Bruland, Vice President and General Manager of Novo Nordisk Pharma (Thailand) Ltd., shed light on a sustainable approach to combat this escalating crisis.

The numbers are alarming: globally, 537 million adults had diabetes in 2021, projected to reach 783 million by 2045, causing 6.7 million deaths annually – one every five seconds. Moreover, 38% of the global population is obese, expected to rise to 51% by 2035. These chronic conditions strain healthcare systems, with global diabetes treatment costs estimated to grow from $966 billion in 2021 to over $1 trillion, which ticking time by 2045.

Thailand mirrors these global trends, with over 20 million obese individuals (30% of the population) and 6.1 million people with diabetes, 39.7% undiagnosed. Factors like urbanization, sedentary lifestyles, and unhealthy diets contribute to this rise, threatening industrial competitiveness and productivity goals.

"Diabetes and obesity are no longer just individual illnesses; they have profound societal, labour market, and economic consequences," warns Ambassador Thorgaard. "The awareness must be raised globally. It's a global challenge to identify innovative care and promote active lifestyles through urban design and public education.

" Therefore, countries are coming together to share and learn from each other to find ways to reduce the economic burden. Denmark is one of the countries that is working to strengthen diabetes efforts by creating an internationally leading treatment and research environment and developing digital technology, educational skills, and cross-sector collaboration to benefit citizens living with diabetes.

Ambassador Thorgaard highlighted the Danish holistic approach run by the Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen, which is one of the world's leading institutions in developing a value-based healthcare system, benefiting individuals with diabetes and other non-communicable diseases.

This success is supported by a robust public-private partnership, leading to outstanding health outcomes. "In the past two decades, we have virtually eliminated diabetes-related blindness and reduced leg amputations by 80%,"

Ambassador Thorgaard reveals. "Our approach is comprehensive, considering the entire lifespan of a patient and the escalating costs associated with long-term treatment."

Drawing inspiration from the Steno Diabetes Center's holistic approach, Novo Nordisk seeks to enhance its patient-centric diabetes care programs in Thailand. "We don't work alone; we seek collaboration from multiple angles through 360-degree analysis, empowering patients to self-manage and improve long-term outcomes," explains Cañal Bruland. "Novo Nordisk's 'Affordability Project' (2022-2025), a public-private partnership project, aims to expand access to screening, diagnosis, and treatment for vulnerable Thai populations while upskilling medical personnel. Focusing on delivering long-term 'value' by enabling patients to live longer, healthier lives, and innovative financing models and policies that enhance affordability and accessibility are crucial," emphasizes  Cañal Bruland.

Novo Nordisk's strategy to bring innovation to Thailand includes conducting clinical trials focused on obesity and diabetes, currently involving 600 patients and many health care professionals to advance knowledge and access to innovative treatments. Additionally, educational initiatives raise awareness among the public and healthcare professionals to prevent these serious diseases.

However, as Cañal Bruland acknowledges, "Medications alone are insufficient to address the rising obesity rates, governmental policies and public-private collaboration are needed to tackle the rising obesity prevalence by preventing this disease in the first place."

Beyond the toll on the health care system, the economic impact is significant with productivity loss from obesity-related diseases equating to 54 million fewer full-time workers globally. Employees with diabetes or obesity miss more workdays, contributing to higher healthcare costs and reduced productivity. In Thailand, by 2060, the economic costs of obesity could reach up to 5% of GDP, including direct healthcare expenses and indirect costs like lost productivity.

"As life expectancy rises, Denmark is gradually increasing the retirement age to around 70, underscoring the importance of a healthy lifestyle for an extended working life," says Ambassador Thorgaard. He recognizes challenges but stresses the necessity to look at the lifetime costs of patients not being treated or not having a holistic approach to dealing with diabetes.

An example of a holistic approach to healthcare is the development of the infrastructure of the capital of Denmark. "In Copenhagen, the city and the roads were initially designed to make people commute easier and address environmental concerns, but the outcome benefited our health," he observes. In Copenhagen over 49% of residents have chosen bicycles as their preferred mode of transportation, which contributes to good exercise. "Other countries might be able to find some inspiration from Denmark's experience and expertise in creating a sustainable healthcare model that alleviates economic burdens while improving patient outcomes."

Recognizing that obesity has become a critical global issue demanding immediate attention, it is imperative to address this challenge head-on. Tackling obesity is key to preventing an overburdened healthcare system, making it the right time to initiate preventive measures and ensure sustainable health and wellness for all.