Prevalence of diabetes in Mexico higher than US, Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Colombia
According to the International Diabetes Federation, in 2015, the prevalence of diabetes in Mexico was estimated to be 14.7%, which translated to 17.6 million people affected by the condition. This indicator put Mexico above countries such as the United States (12.8%), Argentina (6.2%), Brazil (10.2%), Chile (11%) and Colombia (9.6%). The Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) disbursed USD 44 billion to treat the condition in 2015. The average cost of treatment per patient amounted to over USD 16,000 annually. Dulce Wireless Tijuana project, which began to take shape in 2011, is a multisectoral, binational effort carried out in the border areas of Mexico with the aim to improve monitoring and care provided to patients with diabetes, through the use of 3G wireless technology and the use of mobile devices feature phones in a first stage, later, smart phones or smartphones are implemented. The project demonstrated the positive impact of mobile technology in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Monitoring and control based on mobile technologies contribute to reducing some costs associated with standard treatment. Finally, the project not only generated positive impacts on the health of people, but also in digital literacy.
