Novo Nordisk launches diabetes treatment app for doctors in Bangladesh

Danish insulin maker Novo Nordisk has launched an Android app in Bangladesh to help doctors treat diabetes patients.

It has also unveiled a comprehensive diabetes treatment guideline, “Diabetes Care BADAS Guideline 2019”, prepared jointly by the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh or BADAS and Non-Communicable Diseases Control Programme of the Directorate General of Health Services.

Danish Ambassador in Dhaka Winnie Estrup Petersen, BADAS President Prof AK Azad Khan, General Secretary Md Sayef Uddin, and Novo Nordisk Managing Director Anand Shetty were present at the launch on Tuesday ahead of the World Diabetes Day on Nov 14.

Diabetes in adults is known as a lifestyle disease or Type-2 diabetes. Type-1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin.

Bangladesh does not have a national registry of diabetes patients, but estimates suggest there are 7 million people suffering from diabetes in the country. Of them, about 5 percent are Type-1 diabetes.

The new app known as “Diabetes Journey”, which only doctors can access, will guide them with accurate treatment plan once the patients’ details are given.

The app is updated with the diabetes treatment guidelines.

“The app will empower the physicians to take effective treatment decisions based on patients’ types and needs,” Prof Khan said.

The Novo Nordisk managing director said as a global leader in diabetes care, they have taken many initiatives to introduce digital approach in healthcare.

“The ‘Diabetes Journey’ application and the country’s first national diabetes patients’ registry (ongoing) are few examples of digitalisation in Bangladesh and aligned with the government’s vision for ‘Digital Bangladesh’,” he said.