Up to 800 lower-income diabetes patients to get blood glucose self-monitoring kit

SINGAPORE - Up to 800 financially needy people with diabetes living in the South West District will soon receive a kit that includes devices to monitor their blood glucose levels for six months.

This distribution comes under a community initiative launched on Thursday by charity organisation Diabetes Singapore and pharmaceutical company Roche Diabetes Care.

The programme aims to get vulnerable individuals in the community to maintain optimal blood glucose levels.

Each kit includes a blood glucose monitor, test strips, lancets and an HbA1c test kit, which gives the patient’s average blood glucose level over the past three months.

Mr Satyaprakash Tiwari, the executive director of Diabetes Singapore, said that there is a need to target lower-income individuals so that they do not have to worry about affording health products and medication on top of basic daily necessities.

He said: “We find that if they (the beneficiaries) have access to testing and are compliant with medication, they will be able to work, earn a salary, provide better quality of care for their family, and focus on other facets of their life.”

Diabetes Singapore will work with social support groups, community agencies and hospitals to identify people for the initiative.

Diabetes Singapore nurse educators will teach and counsel beneficiaries to help them manage the condition.

At the end of the programme, the nurses will review the beneficiaries’ progress. Those who have met their targets will receive a replenishment kit to last another six months.

Beneficiaries who fail to meet their targets will visit the nurses once every two months for the next six months for additional counselling and lessons on lifestyle and diet. They will also receive a replenishment kit at every two-month mark for six months.

Thursday’s launch at Jurong Spring Community Centre was attended by South West District Mayor Low Yen Ling, who is also Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth, and Trade and Industry.

In her speech, Ms Low said: “The lifetime risk of developing diabetes is one in three among Singaporeans, and the number of those with this chronic condition is unfortunately expected to surpass one million by 2050.”

She added: “This public-private partnership between Diabetes Singapore and Roche will offer those living with diabetes greater access to up-to-date care mechanisms and tools, as well as a safer and more comfortable experience during their self-administered treatment.”