Diabetes Now Thailand’s #3 Killer: Greater Focus Called For

BANGKOK - Oct. 15, 2014 - PRLog -- World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics for the 2010 year (the most recent available in depth) indicate Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2 Diabetes) has become Thailand's #3 cause of death following heart attacks and strokes, and more than twice the number of people die from this cause in Thailand than the global average. And according to Tom Thomson, head of recently launched Pacific Cross Health Insurance PCL and for nine years before that the head of LMG Pacific Healthcare, Thailand is positioned in the bottom 10% globally for deaths from this cause.

“Diabetes is one of the most preventable major health problems facing Thailand and it’s critical that steps be taken within the community to improve this situation which has slowly become more and more of a problem, and is not likely to disappear of its own accord,” says Mr Thomson.

Mr Thomson refers to figures compiled by the World Health Organisation into the primary causes of death for the 2010 year which show diabetes is the primary cause attributed to 7% of all deaths occurring in the Kingdom in 2010, a figure which is over twice the global average for deaths form this cause. This situation earned a rebuke from the WHO who classed Thailand’s position – which lies in the bottom 10% of all countries globally – as ‘very poor’.

This situation is a serious concern to Thailand’s health insurance companies, as Mr Thomson explains.

“Our aim is to always offer our clients Thailand’s best health insurance products in terms of the scope of coverage, excellent customer service as well as affordable premiums,” says Mr Thomson, “and we need to be constantly aware of what areas are driving our claims costs because if we took no action and allowed one group of customers with significantly higher claims costs to continually be subsidized by other customers whose claims costs are mush more modest, it wouldn’t take too long before those with lower claims started to leave and we would find ourselves caught in a vicious circle of rising claims, decreasing average level of health within our client base, the cost of claims skyrocketing leaving us with no choice but to raise premiums, which simply adds extra fuel to the whole process. So we just can’t sit and do nothing.”

On the positive side, huge opportunity exists for incremental improvements to Thailand’s diabetes mortality figures.
“Allowed to develop without being diagnosed and without treatment, diabetes can be held responsible for many premature deaths as well as incapacity of many more of those that have the condition” explains Mr Thomson. “The resulting pain and suffering has a financial cost, borne by the individuals, their families, and the public health system. But these costs may only be the tip of the iceberg in terms of the hidden financial costs – loss of income, loss of productivity and loss of opportunity for both the victim as well as family members providing care for diabetes sufferers. And how do you measure the pain and suffering, the loss of enjoyment of life and the premature death of a loved one?” he asks.

Mr Thomson goes on to explain that with an early diagnosis, treatment and control of diabetes and conditions that are likely to lead to diabetes these mortality figures could very easily be halved within a decade. “So much of this suffering and these deaths is preventable” he states.

Mr Thomson outlines the fact that over the past few decades many advances in the treatment of diabetes have been developed and are widely available and inexpensive, leading diabetes to be one of the major diseases most easily controlled by medication and lifestyle changes which are within the means of most people to manage.

Mr Thomson’s views are well supported by hard evidence which is difficult to ignore. “If Thailand's diabetes statistics were roughly equal to the average of Malaysia, China, France, and the USA, then there would be 18,000 more people alive today - that's half the 37,000 or so people that died from this cause in 2010. So if this was to increase the average life expectancy of a diabetes patient by 5 years, that is around 90,000 people who would have 5 more years of life ... these are not small numbers and that is the sort of impact that it’s possible to make by controlling diabetes,” he asserts.

What steps are required to bring Thailand's diabetes statistics down to a more acceptable level?
Mr Thomson, who is approaching a decade managing health insurance operations in Thailand, answers this question with the caution that commencing any steps forward in these figures must start with the Thai community acknowledging the problem of diabetes, and the strain this is placing on individuals, families, and the community as a whole.

He adds that as this awareness grows there also needs to be the knowledge across the community that diabetes is not a death sentence; and in fact there is much that can be done to ensure those who have the condition are able to manage it in the long term and still enjoy life. He believes the message needs to get through that to a very great extent death and incapacity from diabetes is avoidable.

Mr Thomson has a positive outlook on what needs to take place. “Real improvements happen one person at a time, and each time an individual of their own accord or with the encouragement of friends and family has a medical checkup at an earlier stage in their lives and possibly as a result puts in place modifications in their diet and lifestyle, or starts taking some medication that will delay the onset of the disease, there is cause to ring the victory bells,” he says. Steps as simple as this can add 5 or 10 quality years to someone’s life expectancy, and these people act as positive role models to encourage others to take similar steps. And who wouldn’t like another ten good years added to their life span?”

It’s time Thailand gave diabetes the treatment it deserves, rather than the other way around.
In summing up the situation, Mr Thomson advocates ‘turning the tables’ on the diabetes problem in Thailand and rather than diabetes dictating the terms or providing a death sentence to so many people, his message is simple.

“It’s about time Thailand gave diabetes the treatment it really deserves – rather than the other way around” he says with conviction.

Visit Pacific Cross Health Insurance PCL at http://www.PacificCrossHealth.com