Kuala Kedah MP Dr Azman Ismail and Jerlun MP Mukhriz Mahathir have called for bigger allocations in Budget 2021 to tackle non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes.
They claim that NCD’s cost the economy nearly RM9 billion ($2.2 billion US) and that over 1.7 million people, or 8 per cent of the adult population, have all three risk factors for diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. An estimated 3.9 million people in the country suffer from diabetes, or nearly one out of five adults.
During a debate in Parliament on the 2021 budget, Dr Azman MP is quoted as saying: “This budget is not enough to provide enough funds to continue all the good work that the Ministry of Health (MOH) is doing — cardiology, cancer, nephrology, kidney, mother and child.”
Mukhriz Mahathir MP also called for a bigger allocation for MOH to treat NCDs like cancer and diabetes: “Although we’re struggling with Covid-19, that’s true, it doesn’t mean that other diseases suddenly vanish.”
Both MPs were fighting to restore funding cut from the previous year.
Advocacy Action: How is funding of NCDs keeping pace with demand? Can you raise the position of people with diabetes and other conditions likely to be adversely affected by cuts, and what increases in funding could achieve for prevention, early diagnosis and fewer expensive complications?
Lack of Diabetes Specialists in Pakistan
The Pakistan Endocrine Society has calculated that there is just one diabetes specialist for every 200,000 patients with diabetes. They have launched a six month course in diabetes to expand access to the knowledge and skills needed to treat and manage people with diabetes.
Diabetes specialists are essential to prevent complications such as limb amputations. Around 60% of non-traumatic leg amputations in Pakistan are in people with diabetes.
The diabetes course is set to begin from January 2021.
It is part of a collaboration between the AKU and the British Medical Journal and Royal College of Physicians, London. It will help doctors across Pakistan improve their theoretical and practical knowledge of diabetes.
Advocacy Action: How many diabetes specialists are there in your county? What can be done to increase their number?
Kenya
Sad to report the death of Kenyan MP Justus Murunga who collapsed with breathing difficulties at his home on 15 November. The 59- year-old Mr Murunga suffered from diabetes and hypertension. Reports suggest his life might have been saved for want of oxygen, but tragically his local hospital decided not to admit him because it had none. PDGN sends its condolences.