By Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo, GNA
Tema, Nov. 12, GNA — Government and civil society organisations have been urged to strengthen support for people living with Type 1 diabetes, particularly by improving access to affordable insulin and essential medicines.
Dr Harriet Dufie Morgan, a Member of the Endocrine Society of Ghana and an Endocrinology Fellow in Training, said insulin was essential for people with Type 1 diabetes, making access to the medicine a critical health concern.
Dr Morgan said people with the condition could not survive without insulin and called for stronger government support to ensure that essential medicines were accessible and affordable.
Speaking during a media engagement powered by the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) ahead of World Diabetes Day, she said the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) should be strengthened to improve access to medicines, particularly those required by people with Type 1 diabetes.
She also urged civil society organisations, families, and community groups to support people who struggled to afford long-term treatment.
Dr Morgan explained that treatment needs differed according to the type and stage of diabetes, noting that some people with pre-diabetes could benefit from lifestyle modifications, while others required prescribed medication.
She advised patients who found their prescribed medicines too expensive to discuss the situation with their healthcare providers to explore suitable alternatives rather than abandon treatment.
Dr Emmanuel Mintah-Benyin, a Public Health Physician Specialist at the GPHA Clinic in Tema, said corporate institutions could also support employees through workplace health programmes and access to medical services.
Dr Mintah-Benyin noted that a healthy workforce could contribute to improved productivity and encouraged organisations to make employee healthcare a priority.
GNA
Edited by Christabel Addo
Writer: Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo
Email: [email protected]