At least one in 10 people worldwide now lives with diabetes, which is around more than 500 million people living with diabetes worldwide, according to the latest data from the International Diabetes Federation.

There could be more, considering that almost half of people living with diabetes do not even know they have it.

This puts them at greater risk of life-threatening complications such as heart attack, kidney failure, liver damage, stroke and loss of vision. Additionally, people living with diabetes are also more susceptible to complications from Covid-19, according to the IDF.

With the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, this increasing incidence of diabetes also puts added strain on healthcare systems all over the world.

However, the epidemic of diabetes remains largely unchecked said Dr. Francis I. Pasaporte, president of Diabetes Philippines.

According to the World Health Organization, diabetes is a chronic disease that happens when the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin or when the body fails to use the insulin it produces. Insulin regulates blood glucose; over time, unregulated or raised blood glucose can seriously damage body systems, especially the nerves and blood vessels.

"Diabetes has been an epidemic before the Covid-19 pandemic happened. Eye-opening statistics on the prevalence of diabetes are not lacking," Pasaporte said. "Now is the time for an awareness campaign to transition this disease from an invisible to a visible one to both the public and the medical community."