潘基文祕書長年世界糖尿病日致辭
Message on World Diabetes Day
世界糖尿病日致辭
14 November 2016
2016年11月14日
Diabetes is a leading cause of poor eyesight and blindness worldwide. Because the changes are painless and gradual, people often only realize they have a problem when their eyesight finally begins to fail. At that point, it can be too late to improve or restore vision.
在世界各地，糖尿病是弱視和失明的主要原因。由於這些病變不產生痛感且逐漸形成，人們通常只是在視力最後開始喪失時才意識到有問題。到那時可能爲時已晚，無法改善或恢復視力了。
It is therefore vital that all people with diabetes have their eyes examined regularly by trained personnel who know what to look for and who can provide advice and treatment. If people can control blood glucose levels and blood pressure, they can reduce the risk of changes in blood vessels. And even when changes do occur, it is possible to slow down the process with timely treatment.
因此，至關重要的是，所有糖尿病患者都必須定期檢查眼睛，由那些懂行的專業人員進行檢查並提供諮詢和治療。人們如能控制血糖水平和血壓，就可減少血管病變的風險。即使發生了病變，也可以通過及時治療來減緩病變過程。
Each year, diabetes becomes more common, mainly due to ageing populations and the rise of obesity. Its prevalence has nearly doubled in the past 35 years, with the increase greatest in low- and middle-income countries.
糖尿病患者人數年年增加，這主要是由於人口老齡化和日趨嚴峻的肥胖症問題。過去35年來，糖尿病流行率幾乎翻了一番，低收入和中等收入國家的增幅最大。
Some 422 million people now live with diabetes. The disease shortens lives and, if not managed, can cause severe complications such as amputations, strokes or kidney failure. It has devastating impacts on household budgets and national economies.
現在有大約4.22億人患有糖尿病。該疾病會縮短壽命，如果不加以控制，也可能導致嚴重的併發症，如截肢、中風或腎衰竭。糖尿病還給家庭預算和國民經濟帶來破壞性影響。
On this International Day, let us keep our “Eyes on Diabetes”. Let us focus both on prevention and strengthening health services so that everyone who has this debilitating disease can receive the support he or she needs.
值此國際日之際，讓我們繼續“着眼糖尿病”。讓我們着重開展預防並加強醫療服務，使這一衰竭性疾病的每位男女患者都能得到他們所需要的支持。
