Thomas Pringle TD has today called on the government to provide insulin pump services for children with diabetes nationwide.
Speaking on the matter today to the Taoiseach at Leaders’ Questions, the Independent TD for Donegal South-West stated: “In September, Diabetes Ireland submitted a business case to the HSE for the provision of insulin pump services for children in Letterkenny General Hospital. For an estimated cost of €95,000, insulin pump services can be provided to the 138 children that access diabetes care in Letterkenny.
“We have seen that availability of services in our hospitals is kept below a line from Galway to Dublin, with citizens living in the north and northwest being forced to travel long distances to access treatment. At the moment twenty families are travelling to Dublin hospitals to access care and in many cases they are undergoing journey times of up to five or six hours.
“For many the logistics and costs involved in travelling and accessing treatment make it a difficult decision. What should be a priority for the government is to provide fair and equal access to treatment for patients – where you live in this country should not be the deciding factor in whether you can get treatment.
“Fifty per cent of children with diabetes develop long term complications due to their illness and properly controlling their insulin levels in childhood can reduce the long term effects of the condition. So this investment would have long term benefits for the health budget and improve the quality of life of sufferers.
“This government needs to recognise that the investment required would actually save money in the long term by reducing the risk of complications from diabetes for patients and ease the burden on the health services.
“This issue goes beyond the catchment policy of some specialised hospitals – this service is not highly specialised and by a modest investment would be an efficient and cost effective way of treating children with diabetes in the best way possible.”
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