Federal, state govts urged to subsidise diabetes treatment

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo (right) welcomes the President of Alumni Association of the National Institute, Alhaji Khaleel Bolaji, during an audience at the State House, Abuja at the weekend.
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The Diabetes Association of Nigeria (DAN) has appealed to federal and state governments to subsidise diabetes drugs and injections for people living with the disease.
The Bauchi State Coordinator of the association, Dr Bathnna Sule, made this appeal at the weekend during the association’s monthly enlightenment lecture held at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi.
Sule who is also a visiting consultant on diabetes at the hospital, said diabetes drugs were unaffordable to many people living with the disease, and urged that government at all levels should either subsidise the diabetes medications or include diabetics in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) where they would be paying only 10 percent of their medical bills like their counterparts suffering from tuberculosis.
Also speaking, the National President of DAN, Dr Mohammed Alkali commended the state chapter for organising the monthly event which he said was highly educating towards the management of diabetes.
Dr Alkali, who is also the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Abubakar Tafwa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi, stated that the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) had admitted three of his members into its School of Diabetes to undergo various online courses on diabetes education.