Diabetic kids to get free insulin pens, glucometer strips

COIMBATORE: As many as 36 children from poor background with type 1 diabetes being treated in Coimbatore Medical College Hospital will soon receive the latest type of insulin replacement therapy.
City-based Idhayangal Charitable Trust (www.idhayangal.org) has decided to launch a special programme called ‘Kovai Thulir’, under which each of these 36 children will be given a refrigerator each to store insulin, a glucometer with 25 strips every month and an insulin pen or pump, where the needle is much finer than a normal injection needle, free of cost.
"There is no point giving poor child insulin for a month, unless we give them a refrigerator to store it properly. We have given them glucometers, so the parents can detect early stages of glucose levels rising or dropping and correct it the same day or seek medical help before it leads to complication," says founding trustee Dr Krishnan Swaminathan. "The insulin pen’s needle is much finer and almost painless compared to the usual injection needles. The insulin quality is also better in a cartridge," he adds.
Of the 36 children, around 10 to 12 who are over the age of eight may receive insulin pumps. The pumps like an artificial pancreas will keep giving insulin in small doses throughout the day.
With a small press of a button, on a device resembling a pager, a child can increase or decrease their dose depending on their snack or exercise.
"On Monday, we have called the older children who will receive pumps for a meeting and training session on how to use them," professor and head of pediatrics department at CMCH Dr V Booma Dr Booma said.
The Rs 12 lakh a year project’s main sponsors are chairman of Roots group of companies, K Ramasamy and former CMCH alumni Dr Indira and her uncle Dr Veerappan Subramanian in the US.
Doctors hope this will reduce the number of admissions with diabetic coma or major complications like kidney-failure in the long-term, because of uncontrolled glucose levels.
Dr Booma said children with type 1 diabetes are completely dependent on insulin injections multiple times a day. "In their case the pancreas produces no insulin. So, they need life-long insulin injections generally four times a day," she said.