As of next Monday, people aged up to 21-years-old living with type 1 diabetes will be given free continuous glucose monitors.
This is part of an extensive project which started as a pilot programme amongst children, acquiring extensions to teenagers of 16-years of age. Following successes, the project will include people up to 21-years-old.
The news was announced by Deputy Prime Minister and health minister Chris Fearne on Saturday morning. Fearne also announced that, as of the end of this year, the project will go on to include people up to the age of 35.
As of next year, anyone who lives with type 1 diabetes will benefit from this free programme. Fearne highlighted how in just two weeks of a new Labour government, a measure which was pledged in the electoral manifesto will come to fruition.
Kif wegħdna li se nagħmlu waqt il-kampanja elettorali, mil-ġimgħa d-dieħla se nibdew nagħtu l-Continuous Glucose Monitors lil dawk b’#dijabete tip 1 sal-età ta’ 21 sena. #SaħħaAħjar pic.twitter.com/vHnKzubcB7
— Chris Fearne (@chrisfearne) April 9, 2022
Fearne explained how people who live with the type 1 diabetes have to undergo testing at least three times a day to check the glucose levels in their blood. Through this project, which uses mobile application technology, these same people will have continuous monitoring.
The monitoring will be there 24/7, said Fearne. The programme will also be hooked up to an advisory system through online means to warn people who have low or high glucose levels. Medical staff will be able to call to check on people who need to undergo the monitoring should they have low or high glucose levels.
#MaltaDaily