Two days after Meta.mk’s published its interview with the 16-year-old Mia Chichkarikj which suffers from juvenile diabetes Type 1, Venko Filipche, the health minister of North Macedonia announced acquisition of ‘painless’ glucose monitors. That was what Mia had requested in the interview when she stated that the greatest wish she has was for all the children in North Macedonia with her condition to receive ‘painless’ glucose monitors so that their fingers can be spared from the pricking of the monitors that are currently used.
“When I read yesterday’s story about the 16-year-old Mia who suffers from diabetes, I contacted her immediately and I invited her to meet me. Much to my pleasure, Mia and her mother Jasmina visited me at my office. I personally wanted to tell her that the procedure for acquiring these monitors has started and for the first time they will be available free to the patients in our country,” wrote Minister Filipche in his post on Facebook yesterday.
As he said, during the first phase, monitors for all children up to the age of 18 will be acquired, and with the next acquisition, the age limit will be raised.
“Our goal is to acquire free ‘painless’ glucose monitors for all patients with diabetes and with this to significantly improve the quality of their lives,” informed Filipche, who also said that this is the last segment for changing the picture of the treatment of the diabetes patients.
“Now we have the most modern original insulins which provide diabetes treatment as in the European countries,” said Minister Filipche.
Mia’s mother, Jasmina Chichkarikj, explained for Meta.mk that during the meeting with the minister, he has requested to see the monitor that the girl had been using for measuring glucose and was purchased by her parents abroad. Each monitor costs 60 EUR and can be used mostly for up to two weeks.
“He assured us that no later than New Year’s Day the monitors will be available in North Macedonia for all children suffering from diabetes. We are very pleased because that finally will ease the battle that we are waging every day,” said the mother.
Mia attends the Orce Nikolov Gymnasium in Skopje. For Type 1 juvenile diabetes, there is no other medicine but insulin.
Meta.mk also contacted Natasha Despotovska – Dimitrievska, the President of Balans – MK, Children’s Diabetes Foundation in Macedonia. She said that they have reached out to all competent institutions in Macedonia to address the lack of painless glucose monitors.
“Everywhere throughout the world, these monitors are free. Our children are categorized with the highest degree of disability because of Type 1 diabetes. Recently we had a meeting with authorities and are hoping this promise will be finally fulfilled,” said Despotovska -Dimitrievska.
