More than 150,000 Murcia suffer from diabetes, 13 percent of the population.According to official SMS data, a total of 570 children under 14 also suffers from this disease, as the Minister of Health, Encarna Guillén, has stated on Wednesday, on the occasion of the next World Diabetes Day.
Guillén has announced that his department participates in a European project, whose purpose is to strengthen diabetes patients in their care process.
Through this initiative, the most advanced tool in Europe will be designed for the aid to the type 2 diabetic patient, "in response to the need to boost coordination in everything that refers to this great health challenge that diabetes supposes", according to Guillén.
The Ministry of Health, through the Murcian Health Service (SMS), and the partners participating in Prompower, as this project is called, "they have the great responsibility to improve the quality of life of patients, allowing them to higher level of independenceand control of your illness. "
Thanks to this project, the patient will have a mobile application and a complete service platform with glucose sensors, information on treatments, training and communication tools with experts and patients.
In the Region of Murcia there are 106,484 people with diabetes, according to the official SMS data, of which 105,970 are over 14 years.However, it is estimated that this figure can ascend between 40,000 and 50,000 people suffering from this disease.
This is because this disease does not usually have symptoms in the most initial stages and can remain hidden or without diagnosing for years, so the SMS estimates that number of Murcia suffering from diabetes but have not been diagnosed.
The number of registered patients in the region around 12.5 or 13 percent of the total population, which places it slightly below the national average, which is found in 13.8 percent.
In addition, the number of diagnoses, as is the national level, is experiencing a slight growth over the last years, so it is a priority to promote healthy lifestyle habits, but also bet on early detection andThe control of this pathology due to its levels of incidence and its complications, "Guillén explained.
The SMS works on the project to improve patients with diabetes, which affects the lifestyles of diabetics and the 'Active Program', which seeks to promote healthy habits through the prescription of physical exercise through the optional ofFamily and community medicine.
On the other hand, the project 'Comprehensive and efficient care of diabetes' of the Internal Medicine Service of the Reina Sofía de Murcia Hospital was recognized last year in the call 'Good practices of the National Health System'.
It is worth highlighting within this program the work that is being carried out to develop a computer system (the Findrisk test) with which, from a series of parameters, you can get a score that indicates the level of risk to sufferdiabetes.
This test would therefore improve the adoption of intervention guidelines for the early detection of this disease.A piloting has already been performed in the health centers of the VII-Murcia health area with the completion of the survey of 270 patients, diagnosing 8.5 percent of new cases of hidden diabetes and 14.1 percent ofprediabetes
It also continues to work in the 'Integrated Assistance Process: Diabetes', which seeks to improve coordination between hospital and primary care.
In addition, the Ministry of Health "is marked as a new objective the reactivation of the Regional Diabetes Advisory Committee, inResponse to the demand of both patients and the professional sector who dedicates their efforts to the treatment and investigation of this disease, "said the counselor.
With this initiative it is sought to "facilitate better communication on four fronts: administration, scientific societies, patient associations and professionals," he said.
The Region of Murcia is also part of an international study that has enabled the discovery of genetic factors associated with type 2 diabetes.
This study, in which Dr. Carmen Navarro participates in the Epidemiology Service of the Ministry of Health together with investigators from 14 countries, is "primary importance", Guillén stressed, while the genetic and genomic information with theObject to understand the pathophysiology of complex diseases and offer new ways to optimize clinical and preventive activity.
During the last year, the cost of pharmacological treatment for insulins and other antidiabetics has meant an investment of 54.2 million euros.