1 million Ukrainians don't suspect they have diabetes: how to fight the "silent pandemic"

Alice Smahina

Recently, most people's thoughts have been focused on the disease that invaded the world in 2020–the coronavirus infection of COVID-19. However, with a new threat emerging, common diseases also didn't go anywhere and didn't give ground, and the problem of diabetes in general during the pandemic became especially relevant because patients with diabetes are at risk of severe illness with a dangerous virus of the 21st century.

Diabetes is a serious threat to human health around the world. According to the latest data published in the IDF Diabetes Atlas, 463 million adults now live with diabetes, and if you don't take sufficient measures to combat this "silent pandemic," the number of diabetics will increase by another 25 percent by 2030.

Currently, Ukraine doesn't even have clear statistics on the number of patients. According to official data, more than 1.3 million Ukrainians have diabetes, unofficial sources say the figure is 2 million people.

Diabetes is diagnosed in health care facilities and during some mass campaigns. However, up to 50% of all cases remain undiagnosed. Professional examinations, which used to be mandatory in every institution and enterprise, are now formal, and with the advent of coronavirus, their number has dropped to almost zero. People are prejudiced against the preventive diagnosis of not only diabetes but any disease in general: why run to the doctors if "nothing hurts"? Besides underestimating potential risks to health and life, there are financial concerns; examinations and further treatment (because "they'll find something") will be linked with significant costs that not every family can afford.

According to preliminary estimates, more than 1 million people in Ukraine are currently unaware of their diabetes. We explain everything that Ukrainians need to know about the disease.