Health NZ says the real-time registry has not yet been developed, but will be a first priority for its new national diabetes clinical network, Mahitahi Matehuka, which it established earlier this year.
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A new national diabetes registry will show for the first time how many people are living with each type of diabetes in Aotearoa, which is crucial for diagnosis and treatment, a diabetes specialist has said.

Health NZ says the real-time registry has not yet been developed, but will be a first priority for its new national diabetes clinical network, Mahitahi Matehuka, which it established earlier this year.

A new global study released this week reported more than 800 million adults suffer from diabetes worldwide – almost twice as many as previous estimates suggested – while this country’s virtual diabetes registry reports 324,000 cases.

Dr. Ryan Paul, co-chair of the National Diabetes Clinical Network, said the current virtual diabetes registry does not differentiate between type 1 and type 2, although they require very different treatment.

The new real-time registry would help distinguish them, as well as lesser-known forms of the disease, such as monogenic diabetes (when genetic variants cause diabetes) and pancreatogenic diabetes (which can occur when the pancreas is not functioning). .

This would lead to better access to care, he added.

“Diabetes management varies… depending on the type of diabetes, so we want to know the right type of diabetes to provide the best care for that person.

“Type 1 diabetics absolutely need insulin, and we are very grateful that continuous blood glucose monitoring and automated insulin delivery, which is the gold standard treatment for type 1 diabetes, has been funded in Aotearoa from October 1.

“Type 2 diabetes is largely preventable, but we need to remember that both type 2 diabetes and obesity have a very strong genetic component. At least 40 to 70 percent is genetic, so we need to start to consider it not just as a lifestyle disease, but also the other factors that come into play.

“But, just as importantly, if we get the right diagnosis, of the right type of diabetes, that gives the best care, and that also governs access to care.

“Many people with type 1 diabetes will be seen by specialist diabetes services in their area, while those with type 2 diabetes may only be those with complications accessing specialist care.”

Paul said at present the best estimates based on Waikato data indicate there are around 17,000 to 22,000 New Zealanders with type 1 diabetes, with more than half having started fund continuous blood glucose monitoring.

Diabetes is a leading cause of death and health loss in Aotearoa New Zealand and around the world, but the disease is “not sexy” in the eyes of drug funding agencies, Paul said.

People with all forms of diabetes regularly experience blame from others, he added.

“There’s a huge stigma… you mention diabetes and no matter what type you have, you’re automatically blamed for having it. Even type 1 diabetes, which is completely unavoidable.”

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