Type 1 diabetes (T1DM) mainly affects children and if left uncontrolled can lead to serious complications affecting the major organ systems such as kidney, eye, nerves, heart, etc. Due to total lack of insulin secretion from the pancreas in T1DM individuals, blood glucose levels need to be controlled either by multiple injections of insulin or modern insulin pump therapy. Even though this is a disease that requires continuous attention and management, in India, T1DM still happens to be one of the largely ignored disease conditions.

Being a rare and extremely difficult to treat disease, there prevails a social stigma, and many a time, illness is not even revealed to friends, family or teachers. Even in the cases where the disease is exposed, many children tend to suffer both physically and mentally. The teachers and the family members most often confuse it as the symptoms of the common type 2 diabetes and ignore the affected person’s special needs like visiting the toilets frequently, making multiple pricks for glucose testing and insulin injections. Attainment of puberty, attending parties, going for a vacation, festivals etc. are all situations which can impose huge stress on these children and adolescents.

Compared to the developed countries, it is a saddening fact that in India, most affected with T1DM have a limited lifespan often due to several factors such as the lack of awareness of the disease, popularity of unproven therapies, and lack of or unaffordability of devices and supplies for disease management. Therefore, we urgently require highly trained doctors, nurses, diabetes educators and psychologists throughout the country not only in speciality private diabetes hospitals but also in Govt. hospitals to serve the poor and unaffordable.

Type 1 diabetes children require support, free medications, the best glucose monitoring and insulin delivery devices through schemes exactly similar to those prevailing in many other countries. Support and free medications are available in India for HIV affected patients. We all appreciate this. However, type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease and does not develop due to overeating or other inappropriate behaviours. We should definitely stand together for the children with T1DM in India and support them in leading a normal life, in every possible way.

We request all our readers to support and sign this petition.

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