News from Europe

Albania: from raising awareness to engaging with policy makers

Details

Published on Wednesday, 27 November 2013 09:00

The Albanian Diabetes Association was on all fronts on World Diabetes Day this year.

The numerous activities carried out by the Albanian diabetes community included a wide screening campaign in different cities throughout the country from 6 to 14 November. In total, more than 3,000 people were screened and given information about diabetes during the campaign. The initiative ended with a special diabetes exhibition in Tirana, the country’s capital, on 14 November where visitors could take the diabetes risk test and get information about healthy diets and physical activity.  

The Albanian Diabetes Association also engaged with policy makers on World Diabetes Day by organising a press conference with the Ministry of Healthy, the Albanian Public Health Institute and the WHO office in Tirana. Diabetes experts, endocrinologists, people with diabetes and volunteers from several diabetes associations were also amongst the audience. The press conference was the opportunity for people with diabetes to voice their concerns about access to diabetes treatment and monitoring costs, asking the government to look into the reimbursement of test strips. For the next year, it will be asked to implement a National Diabetes Register and to have adopted the National Guideline on Diabetes.

On 15 November, the Albanian Diabetes Association, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, also launched a new diabetes training programme for General Practitioners. A first group of 40 GP was trained in Tirana on that day, and other sessions will be held in other different cities throughout the country.

Youth advocates coming together for the diabetes cause

Youth advocates in Albania have come together to create the Association of children and youth with diabetes. For World Diabetes Day, the group of youth advocates organised a series of activities in Tirana including an open-air event during which people with diabetes, their families but also healthcare professionals gave testimonials about living with diabetes, the day-to-day challenges in accessing diabetes treatment, and about the importance of proper self-management.

In collaboration with "Eco Volis", a company that rents bycicles in Tirana, the youth group also organised a bicycle ride for children and young people with diabetes to raise awareness of diabetes and show that diabetes is not a barrier to being healthy and active.

For more information, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
For more information about the youth group, contact Mira Cenaj at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.