Diabetes Framework Sustaining Momentum (SMIDF) Framework Momentum Indigenous Engagement SMIDF Outreach Inventory Project
It's time to fund the diabetes framework
In October 2022 for the first time in well over a decade, the diabetes community celebrated a milestone moment when Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos tabled the Framework for Diabetes in Canada—an important and welcome step in the journey to End Diabetes.
What are the next steps? All levels of government need to begin to fund and implement this framework with concrete and measurable initiatives.
Our plan for the framework will help improve the lives of people with diabetes and reduce the growing burden on our healthcare system. It includes five key elements:
1. Adequate resources
Fund innovative models, such as cost sharing, matched funding programs, and public/private partnerships. This will ensure provinces, territories, communities, and all relevant stakeholders have opportunities and support to build capacity and improve access to services, medications, and devices for people affected by diabetes.2. Measurable progress
Create and fund a multi-sectoral oversight body to convene key leaders and commit stakeholders to action, develop performance indicators, share best practices, and measure and report on the progress of elements of the Framework for Diabetes in Canada annually against key principles, such as health equity and scalability to other chronic diseases.3. Comprehensive data
Scale up and expand current data sources and increase data sharing and coordination through new data connection points that will improve health outcomes for people with diabetes.4. Inclusive education
Fund and support culturally appropriate, inclusive, and evidence-based education programs and knowledge transfer programs that focus on management and preventive measures. These programs will use patient-focused training to address stigma and health inequities faced by those with diabetes.5. Research
Continue to fund creative models of impactful research for all types of diabetes (type 1, type 2, gestational, and prediabetes), diabetes management, the impact of health inequalities, and the impact of diabetes on equity-seeking communities.Right now, more than $50 million dollars is spent every day on health care to treat diabetes and related complications.1 It’s time to fund and implement the Diabetes Framework that Canada needs in order to improve care, drive innovation, and make measurable progress that improves the lives of people living with diabetes.
The Sustaining Momentum in the Diabetes Framework project
Framework momentum
As an extension of Diabetes Canada's efforts to support the framework through partnership and a grant from the Public Health Agency of Canada, Diabetes Canada has a dedicated team working on the Sustaining Momentum to Implement the Diabetes Framework (SMIDF) project. The three-year project was initiated in 2023.We are bringing together key stakeholders to help identify and share best practices, including the identification of barriers in health-equity-seeking communities. The result will be an inventory of successful diabetes programs/interventions/projects, and the dissemination of findings for adoption and scaling in order to identify and share best practices for addressing diabetes, including the identification of barriers in health-equity-seeking communities.
As part of the outreach and engagement of stakeholders, the Pan-Canadian Action for Diabetes (PCAD) was created. PCAD meets a minimum of four times a year and consists of key stakeholders, including partners from the National Indigenous Diabetes Association, Diabetes Action Canada network, and Fraser Health Authority’s South Asian Health Institute (SAHI). This group collaborates with the SMIDF team to support key strategic decisions and project activities.
Indigenous engagement and a national diabetes framework
In respect to Reconciliation and in recognition of Indigenous autonomy, self-determination, and sovereignty, the Public Health Agency of Canada has provided independent funding to the National Indigenous Diabetes Association (NIDA). NIDA is engaging with various Indigenous peoples, nations and organizations across Canada to develop an Indigenous Diabetes Framework. In support of open dialogue, NIDA sits on the Diabetes Canada/SMIDF’s Pan-Canadian Action for Diabetes committee to promote mutual knowledge exchange and collaboration. For more information about NIDA, visit National Indigenous Diabetes Association now.SMIDF outreach
SMIDF is dedicated to building momentum for the framework. Our team engages with provincial roundtables and regional summits, grey paper summaries and national surveys. More than one thousand Canadians have participated in SMIDF-related activities since January 2024.Western Health Equity Summit (Calgary), Meera Kaur, PhD, RD, CDE
Newfoundland and Labrador Roundtable, Paul Jackman, MD
National Diabetes Inventory project
The SMIDF team is developing an inventory of successful diabetes interventions/projects/ programs across Canada to support the objectives of the Framework for Diabetes in Canada (PHAC, 2022). In this context, an intervention/project/program is defined as an action or approach with the objective of improving health by managing, treating, preventing or reducing the impact of diabetes on a person/community/population. Through national multi-stakeholder outreach, the SMIDF team is collecting and will disseminate information supporting the adoption and scaling of best practices for addressing diabetes across Canada.References
1 IDF Diabetes Atlas, 10th edition, 2021
Related Content
Currently funded research
Discover how Diabetes Canada funded researchers are exploring innovative developments in the prevention, treatment, and management of diabetes.
Learn more About Currently funded research
The rights of people with diabetes
We believe that people with diabetes have to right to access medication and safely manage their diabetes.
Your rights About The rights of people with diabetes
Advocacy reports
Discover how advocacy reports are helping drive change to improve the lives of people living with diabetes.
Read the reports About Advocacy reports