If you or someone you know is suffering from diabetes, you should know that the expensive glucometers that diabetics need to test and monitor their blood-glucose (sugar) levels are available free of charge.

There are well over 300,000 persons aged 15 or older suffering from diabetes in Jamaica today. More than 50 per cent of those who have the disease might not yet be aware of it. Glucometers are used by diabetic patients to measure blood-glucose (sugar) levels daily to properly manage their condition. A glucometer, however, costs more than $3,500, before taxes and pharmacy markups.

When one considers all the other costs associated with the illness, purchasing a glucometer might well be out of the reach of many Jamaicans.

Diabetic benefits

Cathy Henry, detailing representative for Wynlee Distributors, told The Gleaner that the company, through the National Health Fund's (NHF) Diabetic Supplies Programme, was committed to providing glucometers to any person enrolled with the NHF for diabetic benefits. In fact, Henry says that since Wynlee committed itself to the project in 2006, it has donated more than 4,000 testing meters.

The provision of glucometers to NHF beneficiaries is the result of a unique partnership between the NHF and private-sector distributors. Under the programme, distributors provide glucometers free of charge to diabetic patients and the NHF subsidises the test strips and other items used in the measuring process.

To receive a meter, a person need first be registered with the NHF. After registration, he or she should request the machine from the NHF, which will then contact Wynlee or another distributor.

Myrtle Brodber, who received her glucometer through the NHF's programme, is grateful that she did not have to spend her quickly depleting nursing pension to purchase the machine.

"I'm a senior citizen, I'm retired, so you know money is dwindling and I'm also diabetic," Brodber told The Gleaner.

Extremely grateful

"It's very important that you monitor it every morning to make sure your blood sugar does not exceed the limit or fall too low because you might go off into a coma. You have to use the machine to monitor your diet," she advised.

It should be noted that what diabetics receive is only the testing machine, a manual and a carrying case. Individuals will then be required to purchase their own triple-A batteries, test strips, sterile lancets, lancing device and control solution. The machine is a no-coding, one-button testing machine which reads test results aloud in either English or Spanish, a small mercy for which Brodber is extremely grateful.

"I live alone, so I don't mind somebody talking to me, even if it's a machine," she said with a chuckle.

andrew.wildes@gleanerjm.com