Sunday, 18th March 2012

The Novo Nordisk Changing Diabetes® in Children (CDIC) programme inaugurated its so far largest clinic for children with type 1 diabetes in Dhaka, Bangladesh on 17th March 2012. Launched in 2009, the CDIC programme aims to establish diabetes care for children in developing countries, while providing free of charge insulin to all children enrolled for the programme period.

The clinic was formally opened by HRH Crown Prince Frederik, who was accompanied by the Danish Ambassador Svend Olling, Prof Azad Khan, President of Diabetic Association of Bangladesh (BADAS) Jesper Høiland Senior Vice President, Novo Nordisk’s International Operations, Sanjeev Shishoo, Vice President BAOS, amongst others.

The new clinic will expand the number of children in the CDIC programme significantly, improving quality of life for the children, their families, and ensuring a better future for these kids. The new facility is a part of Novo Nordisk’s 25 million USD commitment of changing diabetes in children in the developing countries said Mr. Sanjeev Shishoo, Vice President BAOS Region.

For Jesper Høiland, Senior Vice President of Novo Nordisk’ International Operations, activities in Bangladesh is of special importance:
“Currently 40 percent of all diagnosed people with diabetes who live in Least Developed Countries reside in Bangladesh. If we take into consideration the poor settings and the significant prevalence of diabetes, Bangladesh is an incredibly important country for us to learn how to work through partnerships to ease the lives of the more than 10 million patients here”, Jesper Høiland says.

The new children’s clinic includes four consultation rooms specifically dedicated to children and a new conference hall for the organisation of education sessions for the children and their families in the management of the diabetes. This is an important expansion of the physical space of clinic, which shortly will handle 800 children with diabetes and become the largest of more than 50 clinics currently established in the Changing Diabetes® in Children programme. The program also has two more clinics at Faridpur and Chittagong.

Dr. Bedwora Zabeen, Project In charge added that by the year end the program aims to have 1,500 children enrolled – equal to 15% of the Changing Diabetes® in Children programme’s target of 10,000 children in treatment by the end of 2014.

Currently in Bangladesh we are supporting along with BADAS and WDF 1100 children in 3 clinics across the country and would be spending nearly 30 Million BDT this year towards free insulin, healthcare professionals’(HCP) training, education costs, devices and strips, patient education and various administrative costs in Bangladesh added A. Rajan Kumar, Managing Director, Novo Nordisk.

The Diabetic Association of Bangladesh (BADAS) is a key partner on the Changing Diabetes® in Children programme in Bangladesh. A competent partner such as BADAS is essential in order to challenge the pandemic, and Novo Nordisk has worked with BADAS to improve care for and awareness of diabetes in Bangladesh for over 10 years.

About Changing Diabetes in Children®
The Changing Diabetes® in Children programme is a programme run by Novo Nordisk in collaboration with global private partners and local public partners. The programme aims to uncover an approach to address type-1 diabetes in children in the poorest countries in the world, by enrolling 10,000 children and providing care, by the end of 2014. The programme currently has 54 clinics in nine countries, and has published treatment guidelines for diabetes in children in the developing world.

About Novo Nordisk
Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company with 88 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. The company also has leading positions within haemophilia care, growth hormone therapy and hormone replacement therapy. Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs approximately 32,500 employees in 74 countries, and markets its products in 179 countries. Novo Nordisk’s B shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Copenhagen (Novo-B). Its ADRs are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NVO). For more information, visit www.novonordisk.com