Diabetes awareness campaign by Novo Nordisk for launch of it’s Insulin brand
Background
Back in the 1980s, diabetes was considered a niche therapy in India, a disease not many had heard of. In fact, it did not even feature in the top 50 diseases by the value of drugs sold in India. However, India was changing. The western lifestyle was taking over in the country, at least in the urban cities. This was driving a rise in a slew of lifestyle conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, etc.
Insight
Since the market wasn’t even aware of a disease, there weren’t even many specialists treating the disease, or spreading awareness about it. Indian diabetes market needed an intervention, a propelling push towards recovery.
Big idea
Trible Bottomline Approach (TBL)
Execution
Novo Nordisk entered the Indian diabetes market by talking to both doctors and patients. The company conducted India’s first-ever diabetes survey, trained doctors in diabetology, and invested heavily in establishing insulin as a category and towards disease diagnosis. The Dutch pharma major also invested in creating diabetes awareness through an engagement program – Changing Diabetes Barometer – along with the governments of seven states. The CDB is a monitoring system to measure the progress made towards fighting the disease. It gives out a globally accepted framework to manage and control diabetes.
Novo Nordisk took a two-part approach to diabetes awareness in India. As a pilot project in Bihar, the company screened 1.5 lakh people at 357 camps. It also trained 37 doctors and other healthcare professionals in practical diabetology, and improved Diabetes management skills among 382 selected healthcare professionals. The screening found diabetes prevalence to be at 11.6%.
In the second part, the company increased the reach to 100 centers and trained more than 300 ASHA (accredited social health activist) activists. Further, more than 2,000 healthcare professionals were trained via conferences and training in the next 12 months.
Impact
India’s fight against diabetes can largely be attributed to the significant role played by Novo Nordisk. The whole generation of physicians and diabetologists that were trained by Novo Nordisk in diabetes management during the 1980s is also the reason that India is in a much better place to fight the disease today.
More than 7.5 lakh patients underwent screening and over 3,500 healthcare professionals received training under the flagship awareness program of Novo Nordisk.
Key takeaway
How to be a first-mover in a niche therapy/ market? Have patience and invest in spreading awareness, engaging and educating the stakeholders and think long-term.
