Management of type 1 type 2 diabetes mellitus in conditions of armed conflict

Abstract

Humanitarian crises caused by armed conflict are constantly growing and present a serious global problem for health systems. The war in Ukraine produced about 4.8 million Ukrainians seeking temporary protection abroad, and about 10 million received the status of an internally displaced person. The situation in Ukraine has been described as potentially the largest migration crisis in Europe in the last century. As humanitarian crises become widespread and prolonged, chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus (DM) are becoming increasingly important. Food security, li­mited access to medical facilities and medicines, and economic difficulties are just some of the many difficulties faced by patients with DM in armed conflict. The experience of the functioning of the health care system in conditions of armed conflict, on the example of other countries, shows that in the short term, the priority should be to ensure the continuity of insulin therapy and access to basic oral sugar-lowering agents and educational programs for patients on self-control of the disease with an emphasis on recognizing the symptoms of hypoglycemia, diabetic ketoacidosis, and dehydration; in the long term — ensuring access to high-quality medical care and medicines, training of local and international providers of medical services for the diagnosis and treatment of DM and its acute complications and the development of clinical guidance on the management of patients in these conditions. Humanitarian crises in the world have become more protracted, and therefore health workers must go beyond direct basic primary care and address the long-term health consequences of those affected. Further research is needed to be aimed at improving the quality of medical care for patients with DM in the context of the humanitarian crisis caused by the armed conflict, there is a need to develop simplified, cost-effective models of monitoring the condition of patients, the quality of medical care and the availability of medicines to patients in this category.