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Novo Nordisk Foundation awards DKK 123 million for establishing Steno Diabetes Center Faroe Islands

Steno Diabetes Center Faroe Islands will be the seventh specialised diabetes centre supported by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. A Steno Diabetes Center has been established in each of the five administrative regions in Denmark and one in Greenland, and now all the Danish realm is covered. They aim to ensure that people with diabetes have access to the best research-based treatment and disease prevention.

The Novo Nordisk Foundation and the Ministry of Health of the Faroe Islands, Heilsumálaráðiráð, have entered into a long-term collaboration that will strengthen treatment of and research into diabetes and other endocrine disorders in the Faroe Islands. The Foundation has awarded DKK 123 million to the Government of the Faroe Islands to implement the initiative over a 10-year period. The agreement also includes the establishment of a Steno Diabetes Center Faroe Islands (Steno Miðstøðin).

Similar to the rest of the world, diabetes and other endocrine disorders are a widespread challenge in the Faroe Islands and affect more than 5,000 of the total population of about 53,000.

“The establishment of the Steno Diabetes Center Faroe Islands is a major step forward and will guarantee continued development of treatment, cross-sector collaboration and research within diabetes and endocrinology in the Faroe Islands,” says Kaj Leo Holm Johannesen, Minister of Health, Faroe Islands.

Martin Ridderstråle, Senior Vice President, Novo Nordisk Foundation, says: “With the grant for establishing the Steno Diabetes Center Faroe Islands, the Novo Nordisk Foundation wants to contribute to preventing people from developing diabetes and to help ensure that people with diabetes and other endocrine disorders live longer and improve their quality of life.”

Steno Diabetes Centers in Denmark and Greenland
The grant for establishing the Steno Diabetes Center Faroe Islands follows the Foundation awarding DKK 7.8 billion for establishing Steno Diabetes Centers in all five administrative regions in Denmark and one in Greenland.

“I am pleased that the Faroe Islands will now become part of the Steno community with the other six centres. They all aim to prevent diabetes and improve the quality of life and longevity of people with diabetes. In the Faroe Islands, this also applies to people with other endocrine disorders. Following the trends in the quality of treatment in the Faroe Islands will be exciting,” says Martin Ridderstråle.

Strengthening treatment and research
Steno Diabetes Center Faroe Islands will be located at the National Hospital of the Faroe Islands in Torshavn but will support treatment widely throughout the Faroe Islands.

The Center will emphasise strengthening research efforts in the Faroe Islands and will offer treatment for people with diabetes and other endocrine disorders that is tailored to each individual’s needs and symptoms. Likewise, the Center will focus on strengthening the cross-sectoral education of people with diabetes and their relatives and developing the competencies of healthcare professionals. These measures are expected to ensure more unified and better-coordinated treatment plans across sectors, a more uniform and higher quality of treatment and more targeted and coordinated training.

The Foundation is awarding the grant based on a detailed project plan drawn up in collaboration between the Faroe Islands health authorities, healthcare professionals, researchers and the Foundation. The project plan describes the treatment options and prevention efforts Steno Diabetes Center Faroe Islands will offer during the first years. Read the project plan here.

Read about all the Steno Diabetes Centers here.

Further information

Heilsumálaráðið (Ministry of Health, Faroe Islands), Katrin Gaard, Head of Section, +298 734039, [email protected]

Novo Nordisk Foundation, Christian Mostrup, Senior Press Lead, +45 3067 4805, [email protected]