TEHRAN — Iran’s Health Ministry is observing National Diabetes Week from November 11 to 17, mobilising a nationwide awareness campaign that places prevention and early diagnosis at the heart of the country’s response to one of the fastest-growing health challenges facing its population.
The campaign reflects a governing principle of the Islamic Republic: that safeguarding the health of the people is inseparable from safeguarding the strength of the nation. A society that detects disease early, treats it affordably, and refuses to abandon its most vulnerable members is a society built to endure.
The scale of the challenge at home
According to Jafar Jandaghi, an official with the Health Ministry, at least 14 percent of Iranians aged over 25 — some 7.5 million people — are living with diabetes, based on the eighth national survey of non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors conducted in Iranian year 1400 (2021–2022).
When those with prediabetes and impaired glucose tolerance are included, the total reaches 20 million, Jandaghi said, underscoring why early detection is the campaign’s central message: millions of Iranians stand at a crossroads where timely intervention can prevent a lifetime of illness.
Each day of the week carries a dedicated theme: prevention (November 11), effective treatment (November 12), physical activity (November 13), early detection and education (November 14, World Diabetes Day), healthy nutrition (November 15), and the role of the media (November 16).
Joining a global call for early action
Iran’s national week is built around World Diabetes Day, the UN-recognized observance marked worldwide each November 14. Established in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation with support from the World Health Organisation, the day became an official United Nations observance in 2006. Its 2026 theme — “Early action on diabetes” — emphasises earlier diagnosis, access to comprehensive care, and the elimination of stigma against those living with the disease.
The global figures explain the urgency. More than 588 million people aged 20–79 are currently living with diabetes worldwide, a number projected to exceed 852 million by 2050. Roughly 252 million of them — more than 40 percent — do not even know they have the condition, cutting them off from the care and support they need.
WHO member states have backed a global coverage target of diagnosing 80 percent of people with diabetes by 2030, a goal Iran’s awareness week directly serves.
Knowing the signs saves lives
Health officials stress that recognising symptoms is the first line of defence: increased thirst, frequent urination, tiredness, and blurred vision. Type 1 diabetes often develops rapidly and is frequently missed or misdiagnosed, particularly in adults, while type 2 typically develops gradually with few or no noticeable symptoms — making screening all the more vital.
The campaign’s key messages call for equitable access to timely, affordable care; healthier environments with access to nutritious food and safe spaces for physical activity; uninterrupted, quality treatment; and support rather than stigmatisation for those living with the disease.
Diabetes, a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces insufficient insulin or the body cannot use it effectively, damages nerves and blood vessels over time when left uncontrolled. Early action, officials emphasise, saves lives, improves health, and reduces long-term costs to health systems.
For Iran, the message of this week extends beyond medicine. Prevention, public education, and care that reaches every citizen — regardless of income or status — are the quiet, daily work of a nation determined to stand on its own feet and protect its people.
Reference: Tehran Times