Vienna, 26/04/2006 (Agence Europe) - The twenty five European Union Health Ministers meeting informally in Vienna on Tuesday 25 April were unanimous about the need for a European strategy to combat type 2 diabetes, putting the emphasis on prevention and early screening (see EUROPE 9179)
The recommendations drawn up following the conference on diabetes organised by the Austrian Presidency in February will now be included in the conclusions that the Council of Ministers will formally adopt at the meeting in Luxemburg on 1st and 2 June. Among these recommendations feature the establishment of a diabetes reference centre in each Member State and the creation of European diabetics register which will allow epidemiological follow-up and evaluation of the outcome of the prevention policy which Member States are called on to put in place as part of Europe-wide coordination. Prevention will be based on two main lines: promoting better eating habits (this task has already begun with the European Commission's Green Paper on eating) and encouraging physical exercise, especially among young people.
Talking to press on Wednesday, Austrian Health Minister Maria Rauch-Kallat welcomed this outcome, pointing out that diabetes was a real silent world-wide epidemic. Within this context, she noted with pleasure the presence of Chinese Health Minister Gao Qiang, and US Health Secretary Michael O. Leavitt, both of whom highlighted the importance of international cooperation in the health sector, faced with common challenges, be it a possible flu pandemic or chronic illness, like diabetes. Ms Rauch-Kallat said the participation of these two Ministers symbolised the first steps towards a global health network which could tackle common problems. And she pointed out that the EU, China and the USA have a combined population of over two billion. The three Ministers and Commissioner Kyprianou will meet in Moscow on Thursday at a meeting of G8 Health Ministers.
Mr Kyprianou said the Commission would pick up the recommendations in a communication on diabetes it is currently preparing.
At the opening of the press conference, Ms Rauch-Kallat spoke of the commemoration of the Chernobyl accident, and hoped that nothing like it would ever occur again.