Hon Judi Moylan

ADJOURNMENT - World Diabetes Day 2005

On Monday it will be World Diabetes Day 2005. Because this House will not be in session on Monday, the World Diabetes Day theme was launched today by the Minister for Health and Ageing, the Hon. Tony Abbott. This year, the theme for World Diabetes Day is ‘Diabetes and foot care: put feet first, prevent amputations’. Professor Martin Silink, the Australian president-elect of the International Diabetes Foundation, of which Australia is a member, attended the function in Parliament House, which was arranged by Diabetes Australia and was sponsored by Novo Nordisk. Together with the World Health Organisation, they have issued a call to action for health care decision-makers to take diabetes seriously as a chronic disease and to make a cost-effective investment now into care, education and prevention. Approximately 1.5 million Australians are estimated to have diabetes, with only half of these being diagnosed. Those undiagnosed are at a very high risk of developing irreversible complications. Diabetes is Australia’s fastest growing chronic disease; in fact, many of our nation’s top endocrinologists maintain that diabetes is now a pandemic and that, internationally, it is one of the fastest growing, most serious chronic diseases that we are facing. The World Health Organisation has said that it surpasses AIDS as an international health problem. The reason why the theme of World Diabetes Day is ‘feet first’ is that diabetes is associated with nerve damage and poor circulation. Most people know it is associated with kidney failure, blindness and cardiovascular diseases but not so many people know that it poses a very serious risk to lower limbs due to poor circulation. These factors increase the risk of developing foot ulcers, serious foot problems and limb amputations. Mr Speaker, you and others might be surprised to know that, in Australia, there are at least 2,600 people who have lost a limb through diabetes related disease. Worldwide, a person loses a limb to diabetes every 30 seconds. In Australia, diabetes related disease is one of the most common causes of limb amputations. About half of those who have a leg amputated will have a subsequent amputation of the other leg. Poorly treated or untreated foot ulcers can lead to amputation. The number of people with diabetes in Australia is increasing, which means that the number of people experiencing foot complications from diabetes will also increase. Without action, more amputations are very likely. Diabetes Australia estimates that the cost to the Australian community of diabetes related diseases runs at about $6 billion. It is a very high cost. It is important that we, as members of this House, convey to our constituencies the importance of testing for diabetes and, once it is diagnosed, the importance of proper management of the disease to help our communities avoid the worst of the complications. Many of the complications, particularly those to do with the feet and limb amputations, can be avoided. It is a very important issue. In finishing, I would like to acknowledge the work of my colleagues in this place and the other house: Dr Mal Washer, the member for Moore; the member for Blair; the member for Lyons, on the other side of the House; and Senator Guy Barnett, senator for Tasmania. About three years ago, we formed the Parliamentary Diabetes Support Group. Through this group, we have highlighted some of the very important issues relating to the chronic illness of diabetes in the community. I thank my colleagues for their commitment, and I thank all of those colleagues who have joined the Parliamentary Diabetes Support Group to make sure that this matter is understood in their constituencies and that they ensure that they do not leave diabetes undiagnosed and untreated. Today is a very special occasion. We thank the Minister for Health and Ageing for his participation, and we hope that you will all again celebrate World Diabetes Day or draw attention to it on Monday. (Time expired)