Diabetes Association calls out government's failure to extend monitoring service as promised – Newsbook

The Malta Diabetes Association welcomed the extension of the free provision of Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) for people aged up to 23 years but said government failed to deliver on its promise to extend the service to people aged up to 35 by the end of this year.
In April. the Commissioner for Health said that limiting the supply of free Continuous Glucose Monitor by age is discriminatory and urged health authorities to remedy the situation urgently “because elderly Type 1 diabetics will never benefit due to the slow pace at which the age limit is being raised.”
Earlier today, during a visit to the Diabetes Department at Mater Dei Hospital, health minister Chris Fearne announced that the free Continuous Glucose Monitoring service will be extended to people up to 23 years of age who they have Type 1 Diabetes.
He said this scheme started as a pilot project some 18 months ago where children and young people under the age of 16 were offered CGMs to monitor their sugar levels continuously.
Fearne explained that initial results show that the system is a success, not only because it reduces inconvenience and gives peace of mind, but also because the blood results show that the rates of complications in children is decreasing by approximately 80%.
However, in a statement the Malta Diabetes Association recalled government’s commitment earlier this year that CGMs will be extended to persons living with type 1 diabetes aged up to 35 years by end of 2022 and to all persons living with type 1 by 2023.
“This was confirmed by the Hon. Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne in a reply to a Parliamentary Question 19 dated 09.05.2022 to Hon. Claudette Buttigieg. Unfortunately, and to our huge disappointment, this has not materialised,’ the association said.
While noting that it is positive to see CGMs rolled out to other persons living with type 1 diabetes, the association said “this leaves the majority of persons living with type 1 diabetes frustrated and still waiting to receive this important device. And unfortunately, there is no clear indication when they will receive this CGM.”
CGMs, the association said “is not a luxury but an important tool for persons living with type 1 diabetes to monitor and control their diabetes. We therefore urge the government to reconsider urgently their decision and to extend the CGMs as promised earlier this year.”

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