15,000 diabetics seek a reduction in the cost of glucostrips across country
| Dec 14, 2017, 11:40 IST
Over 15,000 diabetes patients from Mumbai have signed a petition to seek a reduction in the cost of glucostrips across the country and glucose monitors offer a lot of convenience to diabetic patients without which they will have to make trips to clinics to simply check their sugar levels. However, the glucostrips have proven to be very expensive.
The petition has been signed at the city’s Gadge Diabetes Centre and the petitioners hope that the government realizes that a reduction of glucostrip price would make it affordable for all. According to the organizers of the initiative, the petition is yet to be be submitted to the price control body, National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority and the Union Health Ministry. According to Pradeep Gadge, a Mumbai-based diabetologist, the cost of healthcare is drastically increasing. The manufacturing cost of a glucostrip is 50 paise but the patient is charged Rs 25 to Rs 30. He said, “If one keeps in mind the prevalence of diabetes in the country, the need of the hour is price ceiling of glucostrips. This will help make it affordable for all.”
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), in 2008, an estimated 347 million people in the world suffered from diabetes and the issue is growing, particularly in low and middle-income countries.
The petition has been signed at the city’s Gadge Diabetes Centre and the petitioners hope that the government realizes that a reduction of glucostrip price would make it affordable for all. According to the organizers of the initiative, the petition is yet to be be submitted to the price control body, National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority and the Union Health Ministry. According to Pradeep Gadge, a Mumbai-based diabetologist, the cost of healthcare is drastically increasing. The manufacturing cost of a glucostrip is 50 paise but the patient is charged Rs 25 to Rs 30. He said, “If one keeps in mind the prevalence of diabetes in the country, the need of the hour is price ceiling of glucostrips. This will help make it affordable for all.”
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), in 2008, an estimated 347 million people in the world suffered from diabetes and the issue is growing, particularly in low and middle-income countries.