Diabetes Summit 2021

Building Back Better: Diabetes Response in SA post-COVID

In the immediate wake of COVID-19, it is time to take stock. As one of the top co-morbidities for severe COVID-19 infection and poor outcomes, diabetes has been brought into the spotlight. 

The South African Diabetes Summit will take stock of the current diabetes situation and produce a Diabetes Charter that will allow the government and all interested parties to “build back better” in terms of the South African response to the diabetes epidemic. The event is co-hosted by the Diabetes Alliance and the University of Pretoria Diabetes Research Centre.

Download the Diabetes Charter


Watch a recording of SA’s Inaugural Diabetes Summit

South African Diabetes Charter

This Diabetes Charter will be centered around 5 themes, aligned to the WHO Global Diabetes Compact:

  1. Awareness and prevention
    65% of South Africans aged 15 years or older have intermediate hyperglycaemia / fall in the prediabetic range. We have an opportunity to prevent this portion of our population from developing Type 2 diabetes, if we act now..
  2. Education
    Diabetes is primarily a self-managed chronic condition that should not be lethal. The right diabetes education can empower people with diabetes to live long, healthy lives. This includes the education of health care professionals. People living with diabetes need to be engaged in the development, review and updating of all promotional and educational resources.
  3. Management and access to care
    We know there is suboptimal control of people living with diabetes, with less than 20% meeting their treatment targets. We need to ensure that all healthcare disciplines work together on strengthening and ensuring continuity of care and integrated care pathways.
  4. Surveillance
    We need data on who has diabetes in South Africa: strong systems to monitor and measure our efforts and progress.
  5. Innovation and research
    Digital health, telemedicine and innovations could improve diabetes management in South Africa. This could expand cost-effective access to care from a shrinking pool of health professionals.

Diabetes Summit Programme: Wednesday, 10th November 2021

Opening session

  • Prof. Tawane Kupe: Vice-Chancellor of the University of Pretoria
    • Welcome guests
    • Objective of the Summit
  • Prof. Naomi Levitt: Director of the Chronic Disease Initiative for Africa (CDIA)
    • Diabetes in South Africa in the context of chronic diseases in Africa.   
  • Dr. Kibachio Joseph Mwangi: Medical Officer and Advisor for Non Communicable Diseases and Mental Health, World Health Organisation (WHO).
    • Diabetes in the context of WHO priorities.
  • Dr. Yogan Pillay: Country Director of Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI)
    • A unique perspective on diabetes in South Africa from a career in public health.
  • MC: TT Phasha, living with Type 1 diabetes


Panel discussion: The South African diabetes situation 

  • Moderated by Dr. Patrick Ngassa Piotie: University of Pretoria Diabetes Research Centre (UP DRC) Senior Programme Manager. 
  • Prof. Joel Dave: Head of Endocrinology at University of Cape Town (UCT) and Groote Schuur Hospital.
    • COVID-19 and diabetes.
  • Dr. Sundeep Ruder: Endocrinologist and non-executive member of the Society for Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes of South Africa (SEMDSA).
    • Diabetes guidelines in SA: update and challenges
  • Prof. Paul Rheeder: Director of UP DRC.
    • Translating diabetes research into improved health outcomes.
  • Buyelwa Majikela-Dlangamandla: Clinical educator at University of Cape Town, Division of Diabetes Medicine and Endocrinology, Diabetes coordinator at Groote Schuur Hospital
    • Interprofessional team-based diabetes care: the South African experience 
  • Shivani Ranchod: CEO at Percept and long-term government advisor.
    • The possible future burden of diabetes, the risks of inaction, and the impact on National Health Insurance (NHI). 
  • Daniel Sher: clinical psychologist living with Type 1 diabetes.
    • The importance of mental health in diabetes care.
  • Gina Langa: living with Type 2 diabetes.
    • The experience of accessing diabetes care in public health.

Workstream reports

Ahead of the Diabetes Summit, a Diabetes Charter was created by volunteer, collaborative workstreams, with input from top diabetes experts. These workstreams will present on the evidence-led challenges and proposed solutions within their themes. 

Each of the five themes is aligned to the WHO Global Diabetes Compact:

  1. Awareness and prevention
  2. Education
  3. Management and access to care
  4. Surveillance
  5. Innovation and research

Closing session

  • Bridget McNulty: Chairperson of the Diabetes Alliance, living with Type 1 diabetes.
    • What does the Diabetes Summit mean for people living with diabetes?

Registration is free and open to all. 

Register here: www.diabetesalliance.org.za/diabetes-summit
#DiabetesSummitSA


Speakers at the Diabetes Summit

TT Phasha

MC

TT Phasha has been living with Type 1 diabetes since 2009, when he was 21 years old. He is an MC, comedian, radio personality and voice over artist, and joined Yfm in May 2017 as the co-host of Krunch Time alongside Khutso Tseledi (12-3pm weekdays).

Prof. Tawane Kupe

Vice-Chancellor of the University of Pretoria

Prof. Tawana Kupe was appointed Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria in January 2019. Professor Kupe holds a BA honours degree and a Master’s in English from the University of Zimbabwe, as well as a DPhil in Media Studies from the University of Oslo in Norway. In December 2019, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate degree in Humanities by Michigan State University. He has a notable publication record, having authored journal articles, books and book chapters.

Prof. Naomi Levitt

Director of the Chronic Disease Initiative for Africa (CDIA)

Prof. Naomi Levitt is a diabetologist/endocrinologist and public health scientist. She is a Senior Scholar in the Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes at the University of Cape Town and Director of the Chronic Disease Initiative for Africa (CDIA).  She has been involved in many national and international efforts to address clinical practice, research direction and policy relating to diabetes.  She is a Fellow of the University of Cape Town, has authored over 270 peer reviewed publications and 14 chapters in books or monographs.

Dr. Kibachio Joseph Mwangi

Medical Officer and Advisor for Non Communicable Diseases and Mental Health, World Health Organisation (WHO).

Dr. Kibachio Mwangi is currently the Medical Advisor for Non Communicable Diseases and Mental Health at the World Health Organization (WHO) South African country office in Pretoria. There, he supports the Ministry of Health on public health policy on NCDs and their determinants at the National and Provincial level. 

Dr. Yogan Pillay

Country Director of Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI)

Dr. Yogan Pillay is the director of the Clinton Health Access Initiative in South Africa since June 2020. Between 2008 to 2020 he was the Deputy Director-General for health programmes in the national Department of Health. Prior to his appointment as DDG he held the positions of chief director for strategic planning and director for the district health system – all in the National Department of Health. He holds a PhD in public health from Johns Hopkins University. He has been a member of the ministerial committee on National Health Insurance and continues to lead the national effort to develop service benefits for various levels of care. 

Dr. Patrick Ngassa Piotie

University of Pretoria Diabetes Research Centre (UP DRC) Senior Programme Manager. 

Dr. Patrick Ngassa Piotie followed his passion when he stopped practicing medicine to pursue a career as a public health specialist and researcher over 10 years ago. Patrick is a senior programme manager at the University of Pretoria Diabetes Research Centre, and he also manages the Tshwane Insulin Project (TIP), a 5-year translational research programme. He has authored a number of peer-reviewed publications. Patrick is a strong advocate for access to quality diabetes care in developing countries and a member of the Diabetes Alliance Board in South Africa.

Prof. Joel Dave

Head of Endocrinology at University of Cape Town (UCT) and Groote Schuur Hospital.

University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital. Prof. Dave specialises in the diagnosis and management of a wide spectrum of simple and complex endocrine-related disorders, particularly thyroid disease and diabetes.

Dr. Sundeep Ruder

Endocrinologist and non-executive member of the Society for Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes of South Africa (SEMDSA).

Dr. Sundeep Ruder is a clinical endocrinologist at Life Fourways Hospital in Johannesburg and an honorary consultant at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. He is an Associate Lecturer at the University of Witwatersrand in the field of internal medicine and endocrinology, and a student of philosophy at the Vedanta Academy in India.

Prof. Paul Rheeder

Director of University of Pretoria Diabetes Research Centre

Prof.Paul Rheeder is a specialist physician in the Department of Internal Medicine, Steve Biko Academic Hospital, the University of Pretoria. He has a PhD from the University of Utrecht,

Netherlands on the topic of diabetes complications. He heads up the Tshwane Insulin Programme (TIP) and is the director of the University of Pretoria Diabetes Research Centre. He has participated in a number of landmark international diabetes clinical trials and has contributed to more than 80 peer reviewed publications.

Buyelwa Majikela-Dlangamandla

Clinical educator at University of Cape Town, Division of Diabetes Medicine and Endocrinology, Diabetes coordinator at Groote Schuur Hospital

of Endocrinology and Diabetes Unit, at the University of Cape Town (UCT) as a Diabetes educator for more than 15 years. After obtaining her Master’s Degree (MSc) Nursing at UCT, she continued working as a clinical educator. She is currently working as a diabetes coordinator at Groote Schuur Hospital. 

Shivani Ranchod

CEO at Percept and long-term government advisor

Shivani Ranchod is a health actuary with a deep commitment to South Africa’s health sector. She is the founder of four firms: Percept, Alignd, Swansong and Yugma Holdings. She is the CEO of Percept – a trans-disciplinary consulting firm with a vision of a healthier and more financially resilient world. She has extensive experience across the health system including working with funders, healthcare providers, government and regulators. She has held various leadership positions including Head of Actuarial Science at UCT, and is currently appointed to the Government Technical Advisory Centre.

Daniel Sher

Clinical psychologist living with Type 1 diabetes

Daniel Sher is a clinical psychologist practicing from Cape Town. Having lived with Type 1 diabetes for over 30 years, he uses his personal experience and professional training to empower other people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes to thrive. 

Bridget McNulty

Chairperson of the Diabetes Alliance, living with Type 1 diabetes

Bridget McNulty is a published author, co-founder of Sweet Life Diabetes Community and one of South Africa’s most trusted diabetes voices. She is also the co-founder of SA Diabetes Advocacy and the current chairperson of the Diabetes Alliance, and a member of the IDF Blue Circle Voices. She has been living with Type 1 diabetes for 14 years.

UN SDG Goals

The Diabetes Summit and the resulting Draft Diabetes Charter are aligned with SDG 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing) and SDG 4 (Quality Education). 


Gold sponsors

Abbott creates new solutions that help people live their best lives. www.za.abbott


Merck is a vibrant team of specialists in Healthcare, Life Science and Electronics.


Sanofi

With more than 100,000 people in 100 countries, Sanofi is transforming scientific innovation into healthcare solutions around the globe.

Silver sponsors

FIND, the global alliance for diagnostics, seeks to ensure equitable access to reliable diagnosis around the world. 


As a global healthcare leader, Lilly is inspired to make a difference in people’s lives every day – through the discovery of life-changing medicines.


Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company with more than 90 years of innovation in diabetes care.


Diabetes Alliance Competition Law Brief

Please download the Diabetes Alliance Competition Law Brief here.