Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions and currently affects 71 million people worldwide. Diabetes is a chronic disease that can seriously impact the quality of life of individuals and their families, through premature illness and death. In this article, Mona Dawood, Head of the Pharmaceutical Operations & Regulatory Affairs for CIDP Group, explains how the socioeconomic consequences of diabetes are likely to significantly impact the economies of many developing nations like Mauritius, in addition to their devastating impact on the economies of developed nations such as the USA, UK and Australia.