Diabetes Fiji is calling on the Government to provide insulin syringes as part of the treatment package for insulin-dependent patients, particularly children and other vulnerable people who struggle to afford the essential medical supplies.
In its Fiji Day message, Diabetes Fiji Executive Director Marawa Kini says while the Government provides insulin through the public health system, families continue to face the financial burden of purchasing syringes needed to administer the life-saving medication.
Kini says access to insulin is incomplete without consistent access to the devices required to administer it.
He says parents caring for children with Type 1 diabetes should not have to worry about whether they can afford the syringes their children need every day.
Diabetes Fiji says it currently supports 98 active members through its Young Diabetes Fiji Programme across the Central, Western and Northern divisions.
The organisation says previous programme records between 2020 and 2023 included approximately 500 children and young people, from infancy through to young adulthood.
Kini says Fiji must demonstrate the same urgency in addressing the needs of people living with diabetes as it does in responding to other national health challenges.
He stresses that the call is not intended to undermine support for people living with HIV or those affected by drug dependence, but to ensure all vulnerable populations receive equitable access to healthcare.
He says every person deserves care, compassion and access to appropriate treatment, regardless of their condition or financial circumstances.
Diabetes Fiji is also calling for a structured national review of diabetes treatment, including access to insulin pens, continuous glucose monitoring systems and insulin pumps, as well as newer medicines for Type 2 diabetes.
The organisation says the review should involve the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, clinicians, pharmacists, people living with diabetes, academic institutions and development partners.
It says the review should assess what is clinically appropriate, affordable and sustainable for Fiji, with particular attention to children, rural and maritime communities, and economically disadvantaged families.
Kini says modernising diabetes care is about preventing complications such as blindness, kidney disease, heart disease and amputations, while improving the quality of life of people living with the condition.
He is also urging corporate Fiji, donors and development partners to invest in diabetes care through funding for medical supplies, screening programmes, technology, education and patient support services.
Diabetes Fiji says it is ready to work with the Government and other partners to improve access to treatment and ensure people living with diabetes are not left behind.
Kini says Fiji Day should serve as a reminder that national unity must also be reflected in how the country cares for its most vulnerable people.
He says no child should have to face a lifelong condition without access to the essential tools needed to manage it.
