Join us for World IBD Day 2024!
A Global Movement for Accessible IBD Care
We are pleased to announce EFCCA's plans for World IBD Day 2024. This year the central theme for World IBD Day is "IBD Has No Borders", emphasising the global nature of IBD and the need for collective action.
EFCCA will be organising a Round Table discussion titled "Uniting for access to IBD care" on 17-19 May 2024. This gathering will bring together the founding members of World IBD Day and other relevant stakeholders. The primary objective is to engage in a robust dialogue, identifying and addressing the various barriers to accessing quality IBD care worldwide and advocating for increased awareness, support and resources to ensure that everyone affected by IBD can access the care and support they need. The ultimate goal is to formulate a set of shared recommendations aimed at improving the situation for IBD patients globally.
But our efforts don't stop here!
This initiative will highlight the varied experiences and perspectives on IBD care from different corners of the world, showcasing the stories of our diverse members and other people living with IBD.
Social Media Campaign
Ready to post?
You can now download and share our social media content to support your involvement in our "IBD has No Borders" campaign.
- Download Toolkit World IBD Day 2024
A Collective Call to Share IBD Stories
A key component of our social media campaign is an invitation to individuals living with IBD across the globe to share their personal stories.
We believe that hearing voices from different countries, each sharing what access to IBD care means to them, is essential in illustrating the diverse challenges and possibilities of living with IBD. Through video testimonials, we aim to show narratives that not only provide insight into the different aspects related to IBD care but also foster a sense of unity and shared purpose.
Your participation will make a significant impact in uniting the global IBD community and shed light on the importance of improving access to care worldwide.
To create and share your video, please follow these instructions
Share the video on your social media channels or with EFCCA: laura.cervetto@efcca.org
Remember tagging EFCCA on:
@efcca
@efccaSocialMedia
@efccaibd
What are the key challenges in access to IBD care?
- Geographical Disparities: Unequal access to specialised IBD care facilities and healthcare professionals, particularly in remote or underserved regions, leading to delayed or inadequate treatment.
- Financial Barriers: High healthcare costs, insufficient insurance coverage and out-of-pocket expenses that deter individuals from seeking or continuing IBD care.
- Diagnostic Delays: Difficulty in obtaining timely and accurate diagnoses, hindering early intervention and effective disease management.
- Stigma and Awareness: Stigmatisation of IBD and limited awareness can discourage individuals from seeking medical attention and contribute to delayed diagnosis and treatment.
- Healthcare Infrastructure: Weak healthcare systems in certain areas, lacking necessary resources, diagnostic tools and medications for optimal IBD care, leading to suboptimal treatment outcomes.
Suggested reading
- World Health Organization Model List of Essential Medicines 2023
- Survey: Large differences in IBD care and education accross Europe
Studies
Here, we present a selection of insightful studies examining barriers and associated issues pertaining to access to IBD care.
Please note that this compilation represents only a portion of available research and is not exhaustive.
For access to the complete publications referenced in each geographical section, please follow the provided links:
Africa
(2020) Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Africa: what is the current state of knowledge?
Read the complete study
Americas
(2023) Impact of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Canada
Read the full report here
(2023) Systematic review with meta-analysis: Time to diagnosis and the impact of delayed diagnosis on clinical outcomes in inflammatory bowel disease
Read the complete study
Latin America
(2023) Exploring IBD Barriers in Latin America: A Continent-Specific Analysis