Devex: Opinion: Why diabetes in pregnancy should be on the agenda at U.N. meetings
Katja Iversen, president and CEO of Women Deliver, and Leif Fenger Jensen, first managing director of the World Diabetes Foundation

“…[M]any governments and health authorities have not yet made the prevention, screening, and treatment of diabetes a public health priority. The United Nations High-Level Meeting on NCDs — taking place during the U.N. General Assembly — offers a chance to change that. As top decision-makers from across the world strategize on how to build healthier communities and prevent the spread of noncommunicable diseases, they must seize the moment and commit to action — to build bridges across communities, forge partnerships across sectors, and deliberately address women’s health, including diabetes in pregnancy. … Offering NCD and maternal health services together can help more women receive screenings and treatment, especially in low-resource, high-burden settings, and move us toward achieving the SDGs. … We encourage partner organizations to add their voices here and join us in urging governments to heed the call” (9/13).