Today, the Latvian Diabetes Association held another action outside the Cabinet of Ministers building.
This time, the protesters gathered outside the Cabinet of Ministers building. The demand is the same as on March 19 outside the Saeima: to find funds to subsidize the purchase of devices that allow ALL patients with type 1 diabetes to live a normal, full life.
This concerns continuous glucose monitoring sensors and insulin pumps.
These two devices significantly ease the life of a person with type 1 diabetes. The sensor is attached to the body and continuously displays information about blood glucose levels on a phone screen, while the pump continuously delivers insulin under the skin through a thin tube, allowing for precise dosing.
As a result, a person no longer needs to measure blood sugar "manually" 5-6 times, or even more, throughout the day, eliminating the risk of under- or overdosing.
Understanding the importance of such devices, in many EU countries (including Lithuania and Estonia), such sets are provided to all patients with type 1 diabetes at the state's expense, while in Latvia — only to certain groups.
However, the cost of the set (pump, sensor, insulin reservoirs, connecting tubes) averages 300 euros per month, which is simply unaffordable for many. Especially if more than one family member suffers from type 1 diabetes.
For two years now, professional organizations of diabetes patients and doctors have been trying to ensure that these devices are included in the List of Compensated Medicines, repeatedly raising this issue at Saeima committee meetings, as well as during meetings at the Ministry of Health and the National Health Service.
As reported by bb.lv, on March 19, a protest was organized outside the Saeima, where participants called on elected officials to find funds to help residents with type 1 diabetes, of which there are about six thousand in Latvia (half of whom are of working age). Today's action outside the Cabinet of Ministers is another attempt to draw public and government attention to this issue.
