I am an 18-year-old student currently studying for a degree. At the age of 10 I was diagnosed as a type-1 insulin dependent diabetic. The government provided my insulin. At first I was using syringes to take the insulin but when my sugar level was well controlled, my consultant decided that I should use insulin pens instead. They are more comfortable to use since they are easier to carry and the needle is also smaller, reducing bruising and pain. Furthermore it is very discreet and has made my life a lot easier.
A year ago my consultant changed my insulin to a new type named Lantus and Novorapid, as he explained to me that this will ensure better control of my sugar levels. However, this caused great inconvenience for me as I had to use the old method with syringes, and the number of times I needed to take this insulin increased from two to four injections a day. I had to use syringes again - not because the new type of insulin cannot be administered by pen - but simply because the government did not supply them.
I, however, was advised that this would be for a short period of time until the government contract will be finalised with the supplier. Regretfully, the government recently started supplying pens for my insulin but only for patients of 16 years of age or under. Therefore, I am still using syringes. At this point, I cannot purchase the insulin because I am still studying and I don’t have the money for it. I think this is unfair for me and all the other diabetics experiencing the same situation. This is discriminatroy against me, even when you realise that the government supplies much more expensive medicine than the one that I am using. Is it time to change this?
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