Previous Projects

• Inter-University Chronic Disease Knowledge Network
• Diabetes Declaration and Strategy for Sub-Sahara Africa
• World Health Organisation (WHO) Review of the Western Pacific Declaration on Diabetes Plan of Action 2000-2005

This project was funded by The University of Sydney International Program Development Fund (IPDF) to consolidate and expand the program piloted in 2006, aimed at developing a chronic disease network between The University of Sydney and universities in the Asia-Pacific Region. Its core component was a two week attachment for visiting scholars.

In 2006 three visiting scholars undertook an assignment on an aspect of chronic diseases of national significance to their home country. They were:

• Professor Nam Han Cho, Chairman and Professor of Preventative Medicine, and Director of the Centre for Clinical Epidemiology at Ajou University School of Medicine, Seoul. Professor Cho devoted his attachment to develop a strategy addressing childhood obesity
• Dr Uoc Hoang, Deputy Director of the Endocrinology Hospital of the Hanoi University of Medicine. Dr Hoang chose developing a national strategy to establish access to diabetes education in Vietnam as his assignment
• Dr Baysar Tumenbayar, from the No 1 Medical Hospital in Ulaan Baatar – Medical Sciences University, Mongolia used his attachment to gather information to underpin a national strategy to increase government health insurance for chronic disease care

The University of Sydney News: Health experts study Australia's way of tackling emerging diseases

In 2007 two visiting scholars developed an advocacy and action ‘toolbox’ for epidemic chronic disease control in developing countries:

• Dr Si Thu Win Tin - Acting Director General of Health, Nauru
• Associate Professor Izham Ibrahim – Director of the Corporate and Sustainable Development Division of the Universiti Sains Malaysia

Professor Ibrahim and Dr Tin met with a number of relevant University and government departments and NGO’s to inform the development of a chronic disease advocacy package and Professor Ibrahim presented a seminar to the School of Public Health detailing the “Healthy Campus” program at the Universiti Sains Malaysia.

Under the same grant, two scholars visited The Diabetes Unit in 2008:

• Dr Paula Vivili, Senior Medical Officer, Ministry of Health, Tonga, who spent his visit analysing data and developing a journal article on the results of the Tonga National Diabetes Prevalence Survey and planning for an in-country Tonga Summit for 2009 to implement the Sydney Resolution on chronic disease prevention and climate change
• Dr Karen Heckert, Program Manager/Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, John A Burn School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, undertook a consultation visit in October 2008 to advise The Diabetes Unit on the development of a capacity building program for Pacific Island countries linking chronic disease prevention and sustainability.

Commissioned by the International Diabetes Federation-Africa and developed by Ruth Colagiuri, the Diabetes Declaration and Strategy for Africa was launched at the 19th World Diabetes Congress in Capetown, South Africa in December 2006.

The Strategy covers both prevention and care of diabetes and represents a major policy milestone in the history of diabetes in Africa. Setting out in strong terms an evidence based advocacy platform for persuading governments to act to reduce the impact diabetes, it marks a groundswell of recognition that the threat of chronic diseases has the potential to approach the magnitude of the personal and cost burden HIV/AIDS if left unchecked.

Reports

• The Diabetes Declaration and Strategy for Africa (Summary Document)
• The Diabetes Strategy for Africa: An Integrated Strategic Plan for Diabetes and Health Related Risks

The Western Pacific Regional Office of the World Health Organisation, the International Diabetes Federation Western Pacific Region and the Secretariat of the Pacific Council jointly developed a Declaration on Diabetes and supporting Plan of Action.

The Western Pacific Diabetes Declaration Plan of Action (2000-2005) was developed by Ruth Colagiuri under contract to WHO-WPRO. The Plan of Action provided a robust and detailed framework for diabetes prevention and care in the Region and was implemented widely as evidence by the development and implementation of training programs, guidelines, national diabetes programs, and WHO STEPS Surveys across the Region.

In late 2007, The Diabetes Unit was commissioned to map the implementation and progress of the Declaration and Plan of Action – an internal report was submitted to WHO-WPRO in early 2008.