Bengaluru, December 2, 2024: Biocon Biologics Limited, a global biosimilars company, is collaborating with Diabetes Africa and St Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College in Ethiopia on the “Embedding Specialist Nurses in Diabetes Care” initiative. This multi-year project aims to address the shortage of trained healthcare professionals by upskilling nurses into diabetes specialists, improving diabetes care nationwide.
With diabetes affecting 2–3% of Ethiopia’s population and contributing to approximately 2% of deaths, the initiative seeks to create a sustainable ecosystem for diabetes management.
Susheel Umesh, Chief Commercial Officer - Emerging Markets, Biocon Biologics, said, “At Biocon Biologics, we are proud to support Diabetes Africa's initiative to address the shortage of trained healthcare professionals to combat diabetes in Ethiopia. The project to train diabetes specialist nurses is leveraging the combined expertise of diverse stakeholders, including Ethiopia’s Federal Ministry of Health, to create a robust and sustainable ecosystem for diabetes care. By focusing on upskilling nurses, the initiative aims to integrate diabetes prevention and management into primary healthcare and establish a replicable model for hospitals across Ethiopia. Our support reflects Biocon Biologics' unwavering commitment to improve access to high-quality diabetes care and tackle Ethiopia’s growing diabetes challenges.”
The initiative has involved collaboration with diverse stakeholders, including healthcare facilities, professional associations, NGOs, and Ethiopia’s Federal Ministry of Health. This approach has provided insights into designing a curriculum for diabetes specialist nurses and strengthened the foundation for an advanced degree program to meet Ethiopia’s diabetes care needs.
Dr. Bernadette Adeyileka-Tracz, Executive Director, Diabetes Africa, said, “Diabetes is a global emergency. According to WHO, 800 million adults are affected worldwide, with 90% of untreated cases occurring in low- and middle-income countries. We are proud of our partnership with Biocon Biologics and St Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College, which has been at the forefront of healthcare innovation in Ethiopia. Like many countries across the African continent, Ethiopia's healthcare workforce is predominantly made up of nurses who lead healthcare delivery. St Paul’s experience as a pioneer in this space gives us the confidence that diabetes specialist nurses could be gamechangers. This project is about delivering systemic, sustainable change to address the growing health crisis.”
Dr. Sisay S. Betizazu, Provost, St Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College, noted the transformative potential of the program. He said, “The ultimate goal of this program, supported by Biocon Biologics, is to improve diabetes care through specialized nursing. By training nurses, expanding their role, and creating an environment where they can work exclusively with people living with diabetes, we can transform our care delivery. While we face challenges in service organization, training, infrastructure, and quality assurance, this project's comprehensive approach offers a solution: by establishing a structured pathway for nurses to become diabetes specialists, we will simultaneously strengthen these core aspects of our healthcare system. With the high volume of patients at our facility, many could be effectively managed by well-trained nurses at the primary care level. This would allow us to expand our tertiary services provided by residents and endocrinologists.”
This initiative aligns with Biocon Biologics’ broader commitment to strengthening healthcare ecosystems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The company has a history of driving access to biosimilar insulins globally, having supplied over 7.3 billion doses since 2004, and continues to support affordable healthcare solutions in regions like the Philippines, Nigeria, and Tanzania.
Through its partnership with Diabetes Africa and St Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College, Biocon Biologics is working to create a replicable and sustainable model of diabetes care to address Ethiopia’s growing healthcare challenges.
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