Sri Lanka currently faces a ‘double burden’ of non‐communicable and communicable diseases. Public institutions geared primarily to care for communicable diseases struggled to meet demand for quality care in non‐communicable diseases. The World Health Organization has developed tools for implementing appropriate health care for long‐term problems.We piloted interventions in self‐management support, delivery system design, decision support and clinical information systems at sites in urban and rural Sri Lanka. This undertaking confirmed that interventions through adaptation of Sri Lanka's primary care infrastructure and establishment of innovative partnerships enable the effective implementation of care with existing resources in the short term. We demonstrated that media can be used as a powerful forum for educating the public, promoting new attitudes, providing skills for improving health status and influencing both planners and health care professionals. We also demonstrated that training and education of health care workers and research collaborations can influence policy makers. The collaboration to date has established a model for international collaboration providing both educational and technical support towards capacity building within the country. Collaborations with developing countries will enable the prevention and control of chronic disease in the developing world in keeping with the United Nations resolution regarding diabetes. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Background: The world is witnessing a global diabetes pandemic, likely to have devastating consequences for people with diabetes unless there are adequate measures to improve capacity for diabetes care. In December 2006 the United Nations passed a resolution (UNR), recognising diabetes as a serious health threat of the 21st century. The Unite for Diabetes campaign has three phases, the final stage being the development of programmes to facilitate lasting benefits for people with diabetes, globally. Aim: The developing world is witnessing the worst of the diabetes pandemic; such health communities are often least well-equipped to cope. Thus, there is a pressing need to adopt the UNR as a vehicle to catalyse improved capacity through measures including competence and skill development in these regions. An educational course of this nature was developed and implemented in Sri Lanka, in 2004. Consequently, diabetes specialist nurses, previously almost unseen in this developing nation, now run clinics and contribute to improvements in care for people with diabetes. Conclusion: Although developed health economies face considerable challenges as the full effect of increased diabetes prevalence is felt, the humanitarian and economic consequences of this pandemic across the developing world cannot be ignored. Action must be taken soon. Sharing the skills and competencies perfected in the developed world must be an integral and prominent part of this process. Strategically, nurses specialising in diabetes will be among the most important groups involved in beginning the battle to combat this pandemic.