In the year 1921, there was a life-saving discovery that made a breakthrough in the history of medicine. Dr. Frederick G. Banting and Dr. John J. R. Macleod discovered the beneficial effects of pancreatic extracts on pancreatic diabetes. Later on, Dr. Macleod called the pancreatic extract “insulin” for the first time during the meeting of the Association of American Physicians in Washington D.C. Since then, insulin made good changes to the life of people with diabetes that made the two doctors awarded with Nobel Prize for the discovery on insulin.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), diabetes mellitus ranked fourth as the leading cause of death in the country from January to December 2020. In the Western Pacific, the Philippines ranks fifth in the number of individuals with diabetics.

Diabetes mellitus remains one of the leading causes of death despite the discovery of insulin and other diabetes care components. This happened because many of the Filipinos do not have access to diabetes care. Most of them have inadequate knowledge about diabetes and diabetes care, financial constraints, unhealthy lifestyle, and currently battling to survive against the pandemic.

People with diabetes require an uninterrupted access to treatment, care, education and monitoring to manage their life-long condition. However, the pandemic created another huge barrier to access these.

According to the Journal of the ASEAN Federation of Endocrine Societies, most people with diabetes are in low- and middle-income class and the loss of income and livelihood during the enhanced community quarantine makes them incapable of securing their medications. Fortunately, there is a healthcare delivery system called Telemedicine where there is physician-patient interaction through information and communication technologies, allowing for the analysis of subjective complaints, blood glucose levels, and the provision of treatment, lifestyle advice, medication adjustments and sick day guidelines. Nevertheless, this approach can only cater those people that can afford internet connection.

We can only say that a certain person with diabetes is receiving adequate diabetes care if they have access to oral medicines, self-monitoring, education and psychological support, healthy food with a safe place to exercise and insulin.

Many people with diabetes need oral medicines to manage their condition but these medicines became more unavailable and unaffordable in many low- and middle-income class brought by the pandemic.

Monitoring the blood glucose is an important component in diabetes care. It is like an infant that needs to be monitored 24/7 but most diabetic people do not have access to the equipment and supplies they need.

People living with diabetes need constant diabetes education by a healthcare professional and support from their family to help them manage their condition and many do not have access to diabetes education.

People living with or at-risk of diabetes need access to a nutritious and balanced food as well as a safe place where they can exercise because both of these are fundamental components for diabetes care and prevention.

Insulin was discovered a hundred years ago and a lot of people with diabetes had managed their disease because of it. Yet, there are still many others who remain beyond the reach of insulin and other diabetes care components who need them. This must change because if not now, when? #MPRayco

References:

World Diabetes Day official website

Arcellana, A. E. & Jimeno, C. (2020). Endocrine Perspectives: Challenges and opportunities for diabetes care in the Philippines in the time of the covid-19 pandemic. Journal of the ASEAN Federation of Endocrine Societies, 35(1), 55-57.