Union Assurance, Sri Lanka’s premier Life Insurer, has entered into a strategic partnership with the Diabetes Association of Sri Lanka (DASL) to address the alarming prevalence and incidence of diabetes in the country.
According to the International Diabetes Federation, Sri Lanka faces a notably high diabetes prevalence, placing it at heightened risk within the South Asian region. Understanding the gravity of this national health crisis, Union Assurance has committed to providing extensive nationwide support to prevent diabetes by increasing public awareness, providing tools and platforms to improve individual well-being, and fostering community engagement.
Partnering with the DASL, Union Assurance will implement targeted evidence-based preventive strategies to achieve sustainable solutions, aiming to reduce diabetes incidence rates and enrich the well-being of all Sri Lankans.
The DASL has been a member of the International Diabetes Federation based in Brussels for several decades and is an NGO registered in the Parliament by Act 1 1992. The DASL is headquartered at the National Diabetes Centre, Rajagiriya.
In accordance with the STEPS Survey conducted in 2021, the percentage of Impaired Fasting Glycaemia (IGT) in adults aged 18-69 years was 13% (both sexes), while the percentage with raised Fasting Blood Glucose (FBS) in the same age group was 14.6% (in both sexes). Moreover, when comparing the results of STEPS surveys conducted in 2015 and 2021, the percentage of IGT had increased from 3.8% to 13.0%, while the percentage of people with raised FBS or who are currently on medication for high blood glucose levels had also risen from 7.4% to 14.6%.
Empowering the public at all stages and ages is vital to protect them from this silent killer, as the age of onset is rapidly decreasing. The increase in prevalence can be mainly attributed to modern lifestyles, which are sedentary, devoid of exercise, with increased stress which leads to obesity and diabetes.
Union Assurance Chief Executive Officer Senath Jayatilake stated; “We are proud to collaborate with the Diabetes Association of Sri Lanka, an organisation whose values strongly align with our own. At Union Assurance, we are driven by the purpose of enriching the well-being of all Sri Lankans. We believe that, by taking proactive action to improve individual well-being, we will be able to contribute to the collective progress of ournation.”
Diabetes Association of Sri Lanka, Honorary Director and Secretary Dr. Mahen Wijesuriya said; “We are honoured to partner with Union Assurance in this venture to prevent diabetes and commend their proactive efforts to enhance every citizen’s well-being. Diabetes has NO CURE. Together, DASL and Union Assurance can combine resources and are confident that effective and sustainable measures can be used to empower our people through increased education, awareness and screening as prediabetes can be reversed only by healthy lifestyles.”
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