The Changing Diabetes Bus
One of Novo Nordisk’s most ambitious communication initiatives to raise awareness of diabetes was launched in 2006: The Changing Diabetes Bus – ‘A Global Drive to Change Diabetes’.
The bus was launched during the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), which was held in Copenhagen in September. Over an 18-month period, the bus will visit five continents to engage with stakeholders in a dialogue on how to prevent and better control diabetes. In 2006 the bus visited two continents, travelling from Denmark to Germany, Belgium, France, the Netherlands and South Africa, and had by the end of the year been visited by more than 28,000 people.
The bus is a mobile exhibition that stops at schools, hospitals, libraries, parliaments, in town squares and at conferences. It is open to everybody, from those who know nothing about diabetes to healthcare professionals (doctors, nurses etc) as well as local politicians and government officials.
The bus is part of Novo Nordisk’s contribution to the ‘Unite for Diabetes’ campaign, led by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), which helped drive a United Nations (UN) Resolution on diabetes.The Resolution was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 20 December 2006, six months after the campaign was launched.
The Resolution designates 14 November, the current World Diabetes Day, as a UN-observed day and encourages Member States to develop national policies for the prevention, treatment and care of diabetes in line with the sustainable development of their healthcare systems.
Novo Nordisk will continue to take an active leadership role in implementing the UN Resolution on diabetes by establishing high-level groups of experts to facilitate new solutions for change and drive better health outcomes for people with diabetes, and by pursuing its efforts to raise awareness via the Changing Diabetes Bus.
The bus has contributed greatly to raising awareness of diabetes and has generated intensive media coverage across the world, reaching more than 23 million people (readers, viewers and listeners) with messages of diabetes action.
More education needed
Each corner of the bus features an important theme in the fight against diabetes. Video screens, information boards, a drawing competition for children, and computers provide information and interaction for visitors of all ages, while trained personnel aboard the bus offer an opportunity to have a blood sugar test or a body mass index (BMI) measurement taken. Early visitors also had the chance to sign a petition supporting the adoption and subsequent implementation of the UN Resolution on diabetes.
While Novo Nordisk is committed to providing the best medicines, treatments, care, research and educational programmes, we feel that this is not enough. In order to combat diabetes, we need to reach out to the broader public and educate them on the facts.
Follow the journey on the internet
You can read more about the Changing Diabetes Bus and follow its journey on the internet. The site includes diary entries from members of the Novo Nordisk Youth Panel, who take turns travelling on the bus. More information about Novo Nordisk’s commitment to IDF’s UNite for Diabetes campaign is available on the website, which also offers a virtual tour of the bus.
This page has been assessed by PricewaterhouseCoopers as part of its assessment of Novo Nordisk’s statement that it reports ‘in accordance’ with GRI. Please refer to Audit and assurance for a full description of the nature of assurance offered.
