The Founding of a National Diabetes Council in Israel
The Council was founded on the initiative of the Minister of Health and the leading members of the Israel Diabetes Association. Professor Itamar Raz, who also serves as President of the Israeli Diabetes Association, heads the Council whose members include leading doctors in the field. The Chairman and members of the Council received their letter of appointment from the Minister of Health, Knesset Member Danny Naveh. The problems In Israel, there are an estimated 400,000 diabetics, about 8000 of whom are children and another approximately 200,000 are believed to be afflicted with the disease unknowingly. These unwitting diabetics endanger their lives by remaining untreated and are consequently at risk for severe complications. These data suggest that there is no home without a diabetic. Despite the estimates, a clear picture of the scope of the illness and its complications, the number of patients with terminally affected limbs and the costs of diabetes treatment in Israel is still sorely lacking. Moreover, a key strategic plan for fighting diabetes as well as setting objectives for educating the general population regarding prevention and early diagnosis and the diabetic population regarding the treatment of diabetes and its complications has yet to be consolidated. No strategy has been reached regarding the use of auxiliary measures or drugs to achieve these objectives, nor have any means to follow up on the progress made in achieving these goals been consolidated. There are sporadic initiatives by the Health Funds or the Israel Diabetes Association, but no concerted plan for fighting the disease and its repercussions, which is a role that the National Diabetes Council has taken upon itself. The Council draws its strength directly from the Ministry of Health and its role is to consolidate a comprehensive plan equipped to address these complex problems. The objectives In order to raise awareness of the disease and primarily, to instill a healthy lifestyle from a very young age, the Council will plan and adapt programs to be incorporated into the elementary school curricula geared to impart a proper lifestyle and teach obesity and diabetes prevention. These programs will focus on families as well as medical and nursing schools and will also be taught through a diabetes counselors course and at schools for diabetics run by the Israel Diabetes Association. A database to evaluate the scope of the disease and its complications and the various costs involved in treating it will be set up. Official guidelines for the diagnosis, follow-up and treatment of the disease and for setting immediate and long-term target values will be formulated. Furthermore, indices for evaluating the treatment’s success will be defined. The distribution of the treatment burden currently shared by community clinics and specialists, paramedical and nursing personnel and the doctors themselves will be clearly and conclusively defined. The location of clinics and specialists’ departments for the treatment of diabetic complications - heart disease, risk factors for cardiologic, ocular, renal, neural and venereal diseases, women’s health, gestational diabetes and the treatment of type 1 and type 2 juvenile diabetes will be determined. Treatment modalities for the diabetic foot in the community and in hospitals, the need for specialized clinics and departments for treating the foot, as well as a combination of proven and non-proven treatments will be clearly defined. The National Diabetes Council will also strive to promote basic and clinical diabetes research and to set up a genetic database - all through the auspices of a large research fund dedicated to furthering research in Israel. The means The Council’s activity is funded by the Ministry of Health and a portion of the activity will be carried out through and with the assistance of a Health Ministry team. In order to optimize the process, several simultaneously active committees have been set up: • The committee promoting the creation and implementation of guidelines for the diagnosis of diabetes, the metabolic syndrome, disease treatment and follow-up management • The committee for setting up a national database and epidemiological planning for the purpose of evaluating the scope and severity of the problem in Israel • The committee for defining indices and target values for hospital and community treatment • The committee for raising awareness of the disease and proper lifestyle as well as for the preparation of guidelines for children and adults pertaining to proper nutrition and physical activity • The committee for setting a policy for treating the diabetic foot • The committee for designing national strategic plans on the subject of diabetes for the years 2010-2020 • The committee for the promotion of basic and clinical research • The genetics committee • The committee recommending the extension of nursing personnel authority in the treatment of diabetes • The rural sector committee • The juvenile diabetes committee (type 1 and type 2) • The committee for the treatment of gestational diabetes • The public information committee • The standards and surveillance committee • The prevention and health promotion committee • The patient’s rights committee