In India, Free Insulin to be Given to Children Below 15 Years With Type 1 Diabetes

The Research Society for the Study of Diabetes in India (RSSDI) has decided to distribute free insulin among children below the age of 15 years across the country.

Type 1 diabetes among children and adolescents are on rise. It is reported that 10 to 15 children per 1,00,000 under the age of 15 years develop Type 1 diabetes every year.

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Most of these children depend on insulin for survival and require insulin injections to keep their blood sugar level under control. RSSDI aims to control the fluctuating blood sugar levels by distributing free insulin.

India is among one of the top countries in the world where the severity of diabetes is so high. Children as young as 3 to 4 years are being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in India.

Dr S.V. Madhu, President of RSSDI, said, “We recognized that the number of children who depended on insulin for diabetes management is also vast. But the bigger problem that we noticed was that insulin was inaccessible to many children particularly due to its cost, which makes it unaffordable. Also, many states in the country do not provide free insulin putting children at more risks.”

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Children of states where government agencies are not able to provide free insulin will be benefited with this initiative. The decision was taken in a two-day national executive meet recently.

RSSDI will set up a national registry for identification of diabetic children who are deprived of insulin so that all those who are in need could benefit from its initiative.

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Source-Medindia