The institution by the United Nations (UN) of a resolution that establishes November 14th as World Diabetes Day is an instrument to fight this disease that has become "a threat to families, governments and the world," said Susana Feria de Campanela, President of the South, Central American and Antilles region of the International Diabetes Federation.

In an interview with ACN, Feria de Campanela noted that this decision is a victory because the UN thus recognized the need to strengthen heath care systems.

"Diabetes is a chronic, debilitating and expensive disease that may have serious complications and affects 246 million people around the world, mainly in developing countries, and that is why it is considered
a pandemic," she added.

"Hence the need to improve human health and to facilitate the people?s access to treatment and to promote the prevention of diabetes, goals that are included in the document approved by the United Nations on December 20, 2006," stressed Feria de Campanela.

"It is very important because it expresses the need to raise public awareness about this disease and it encourages UN member nations to design national policies aimed at its treatment and prevention, something in which Cuba is an example to follow," she pointed out.

The expert concluded saying that the commemoration of World Diabetes Day this year was a success as many activities took place around the globe including the 13th Congress of the Latin American Diabetes Association (ALAD) that took place last week in Havana. (Latin American News Agency)