Managing a public health crisis effectively is not simply about controlling the spread of a virus. For people living with one or multiple chronic diseases, pandemics such as COVID-19 bring severe synergistic impacts, which require a more nuanced and comprehensive approach to how we manage diseases, particularly in times of crises.

In May 2021, the EFPIA Diabetes Platform and the European Diabetes Forum (EUDF) held the first in a two-part webinar series investigating the syndemic* threat of COVID-19 and chronic disease with a focus on health data registries and the European Health Data Space (EHDS). Part two will dive into integrated care models and how they can help Member States better protect the health of vulnerable communities – such as people living with diabetes – both in crises and beyond.

The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that healthcare systems are not set up to manage chronic, complex, and growing diseases such as diabetes. While health authorities focused on hospital care to combat the pandemic, primary care – which is where 90% of diabetes care occurs – was overlooked. Not only were people living with diabetes and other chronic diseases at higher risk for mortality and complications from the virus; the pandemic also caused severe disruptions to their routine care, which can also have devastating effects. According to WHO data, more than 95% of people dying with COVID-19 in Europe are affected by one or more chronic diseases.

Improved integration of care is the way forward to strengthen chronic disease management in emergencies and beyond. In this very timely webinar, our panel will deep-dive into questions such as:

• What have we learned from COVID-19 in terms of chronic disease management? Why is a syndemic approach important?
• How can integrated (primary) care models help foster health system sustainability, and why must this be a key component of future crisis preparedness? 
• How can integrated care models impact the daily lives of people living with diabetes in a post-COVID world?

If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact our Communications Team at communications@efpia.eu

Register here to join us.

We look forward to virtually meeting you on 9 November.