Novo Nordisk, in partnership with the Malaysian Endocrine and Metabolic Society (MEMS) and Roche, has launched the Changing Diabetesin Children (CDiC) project in Malaysia.
The launch event was officiated by Dato’ Dr. Mohd. Azman Yacob, the director of the Medical Development Division from the Ministry of Health Malaysia, at Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral Nov 22, 2023.
Present at the event were MEMS president and CDiC project chair in Malaysia Dr. Nurain Mohd Noor, Novo Nordisk business area South East Asia corporate vice president Anand Shetty and Roche Diabetes Care cluster head of Asia Pacific Mature Markets Bryan Koh.
Project partners, healthcare professionals in diabetes care, as well as patients with type 1 diabetes and their caregivers were also present.
Dr. Nurain commented on the high misdiagnosis rate of Malaysian children with type 1 diabetes.
“The misdiagnosis rate of Malaysian children with type 1 diabetes is alarmingly high as children and young adults are often diagnosed with alternative conditions like respiratory or gastrointestinal illnesses.
“To address this pressing issue and ensure timely and accurate diagnoses and care, initiatives such as ‘Changing Diabetes in Children’ are important for more timely interventions and improved care. The project will also equip frontliners with knowledge and management skills to help them help their patients with type 1 diabetes,” she said.
Anand Shetty stated, “Our purpose is to drive change to defeat chronic diseases such as diabetes by pioneering scientific breakthroughs and improving the lives of patients. With our CDiC partners in Malaysia, we aim to improve the lives of vulnerable type 1 diabetes patients by building a holistic system of care for children and young adults under the age of 25 living with type 1 diabetes.”
Bryan Koh said, “We are committed to enhancing access to essential diabetes care for children and young adults living with type 1 diabetes in Malaysia with our partners, through building a sustainable continuum of care to support them in growing up well and fulfilling their full potential.”
The CDiC project is a long-term initiative with a dedicated focus on improving the quality of care for children and young adults with type 1 diabetes.
Children and young adults who have type 1 diabetes in Malaysia will receive free glucose monitoring supplies such as glucometer and glucose test strips.
With its launch in Malaysia, CDiC will contribute to improving access to care, in line with this year’s World Diabetes Day theme of “Access to Diabetes Care”.
According to the National Database on Children and Adolescent with Diabetes (e-DiCARE), Type 1 diabetes is the most common form of childhood diabetes in Malaysia, accounting for 73–77% of all childhood diabetes cases.
The International Diabetes Federation reported 955 cases of type 1 diabetes in Malaysian children aged 0–19 years in 2021. The misdiagnosis rate for children with type 1 diabetes is 38.7%, which highlights the need for improving both awareness and access to care for childhood type 1 diabetes.
The CDiC project aims to bridge critical gaps in diagnosis, support self-monitoring of blood glucose, and patient knowledge by building on existing efforts to address local barriers to healthcare, support the development of comprehensive diabetes care solutions and integrating with local healthcare systems.
Specific components of CDiC in Malaysia include providing educational workshops for patients and their caregivers, training healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of the disease, establishing or refurbishing diabetes resource centres, developing a national registry, research on type 1 diabetes management, as well as raising public awareness of type 1 diabetes in Malaysia.
 project in Malaysia.){kind=link}