The Global Diabetes Compact is a WHO-driven initiative uniting stakeholders around
goals of reducing diabetes risk and ensuring that people with diabetes have equitable
access to comprehensive, affordable care and prevention. In this report we describe
the development and scientific basis for key health metrics, coverage, and treatment
targets accompanying the Compact. We considered metrics across four domains: factors
at a structural, system, or policy level; processes of care; behaviours and biomarkers
such as glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c); and health events and outcomes; and three risk
tiers (diagnosed diabetes, high risk, or whole population), and reviewed and prioritised
them according to their health importance, modifiability, data availability, and global
inequality.
The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected certain groups, such as older
people (ie, >65 years), minority ethnic populations, and people with specific chronic
conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and some respiratory
diseases. There is now evidence of not only direct but also indirect adverse effects
of COVID-19 in people with diabetes. Recurrent lockdowns and public health measures
throughout the pandemic have restricted access to routine diabetes care, limiting
new diagnoses, and affecting self-management, routine follow-ups, and access to medications,
as well as affecting lifestyle behaviours and emotional wellbeing globally.