A charity that funds the insulin requirement of many children and homeless people suffering from Type 1 diabetes celebrated its first anniversary recently.
Metta (Dana) Foundation, the charity, gave a call to the people to adopt a diabetic child or adult who cannot afford insulin.
“Insulin is a life-saver but it is also prohibitively expensive. People from low-economic backgrounds find it difficult to buy. Our foundation is helping many such people by sponsoring their insulin, but we want support from others,” said Debasis Basu, president of the foundation and a diabetologist.
Type 1 diabetes is a condition in which the pancreas doesn’t make insulin or makes very little insulin, a hormone that helps blood sugar enter the cells for use as energy, according to the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Without insulin, sugar can’t enter cells and builds up in the bloodstream. High blood sugar levels are harmful for the body.
“Type 1 diabetes patients need insulin right from the beginning, but it is prohibitively expensive,” said Basu.
Besides sponsoring the insulin, educators from
Metta also work diligently, in consultation with doctors, to administer the right insulin dose.
The educators keep reminding the patients about taking medicines and the need for vaccination. They counsel patients to stay away from smoking and other activities that are harmful for health.
Basu said doctors at times shy away from prescribing insulin. “Start giving insulin at the right time in the right dose,” he said.
The dosage depends on factors like current sugar level, food intake and weight.
Merely giving insulin is not adequate. Intensifying the dose in a correct manner and tracking the outcome are also important, say doctors.
Basu said he has framed a slogan: “Boyosh hole tirish bochhor, blood sugar test proti bochhor/gorbhoboti holen jini, dekhtei hobe tar chini (once you turn 30, check your blood sugar levels once every year/if you are pregnant, keep a tab on your blood sugar levels).”
