HFI Newsletter, special edition – The Power of Partnership and Type 1 Diabetes in Mexico
Correction: The Power of Partnership and Type I Diabetes in MexicoLearn about the Devices for Development Consortium (D4DC), an innovative, new initiative serving children in Mexico with Type I diabetes.
Special Edition:
The Power of Partnership and Type 1 Diabetes in Mexico
In this issue, we discuss the creation of the Devices for Development Consortium (D4DC). D4DC is implementing a sustainable market-shaping mechanism to ensure children’s equitable access to life-saving medical devices, medicines, education, and care.
In Mexico, there are 26,578 children living with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), at least 3,000 of which are under the age of six. Without insulin and proper glucose level management, a child’s life expectancy can be less than a year or lead to lifelong complications. This life-threatening disability of T1D impacts approximately 1.8 million children and adolescents, 600,000 of whom live in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). T1D, an auto-immune disease that typically manifests in childhood, is a widely neglected non-communicable disease (NCD).
To manage, survive and thrive with T1D, children must have consistent access to the right type of insulin and glucose monitoring devices. Otherwise, glucose elevation can cause severe chronic complications such as blindness, kidney failure, and cardiovascular disease. Insulin, monitoring devices, and diabetes care are critical for T1D management but can be expensive – device and consumable expenses are not covered under the Mexican health insurance plan, and cost up to two times the average family income to purchase, thus exacerbating social inequalities for those families whose children live with T1D. Furthermore, there exists no differentiation between Type 2 and Type 1 diabetes national insurance regulation – an issue that this project, in partnership with the Jalisco state government, is aiming to address.
Global Partnerships
To improve the livelihood of children with T1D in Mexico, Jalisco State and the Health Finance Institute are starting to lead the Devices for Development Consortium (D4DC), a global consortium bringing together the private and public sectors for a volume guarantee mechanism to improve access to glucose monitoring devices, medicines, education, and care. As the two entities are prepared to trigger an international collaboration through power-building partnerships, this global consortium will develop sustainable innovative financing solutions that will lower the price of continuous glucose monitor devices (CGMs).
Local Collaboration
HFI is grateful to be working with a number of collaborators on this initiative. Our local collaborators include:
Federación Mexicana de Diabetes, A.C.
Asociación Mexicana de Diabetes en Jalisco, A.C.
Jalisco State Congress and Mónica Magaña, Congresswoman of Jalisco State
"Health is a right, not a privilege.
And we will continue working to bring technology to children, to maintain their quality of life."
- Mónica Magaña
State Congresswoman of Jalisco
Launch of Centro D1A Diabetes Centre
Centro D1A is a novel, one-of-a-kind diabetes facility in Mexico that seeks to care for children with Diabetes Mellitus Type 1 through a model based on education, beyond food prohibitions. In order to ensure timely detection and appropriate treatment for children living with this disease, the Education and Care Centre for Children and Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (Centro D1A) was developed and launched on June 30, 2022.
Progress to Date
Shortly after the pilot program’s launch, the Centre attracted more than 30 newly diagnosed children who did not have proper access to medical services. Each one of those patients received medical assistance and expertise from health professionals starting with a program of therapeutic education. Overall, the goal is to have 200 children be able to attend the program by the end of the year. With the collaboration of the Health Secretary of Jalisco, the children and adolescents can receive medications such as insulin, but the challenge that remains is including technological inputs to monitor and supplement their treatment.
"Juvenile diabetes, when detected early, can change the life of the child as long as the family has access to insulin and the necessary devices to, on the one hand, make a good control and on the other, administer the appropriate dose. Most families in a state of vulnerability, do not have access to these devices or medicine. Through the work of organized civil society, these children and young people are supported to have quality of life despite diabetes."
- Francisco Becerra-Posada
Senior Adviser in Public Health
Latin America and Caribbean
UNOPS
Looking Ahead
Centro D1A is a space created to provide tools for education and care about this disease. It provides therapeutic education services, medical control supplies, as well as training and continuous follow-up of patients. Jalisco and HFI are looking to collaborate and think beyond this initiative. This partnership aims to make more local and international allies for this cause, and secure more donations to support education and care for children with T1D in Jalisco.
“People living with T1D in low- and middle-income countries often face immense barriers to access reliable, affordable care. To overcome entrenched challenges in insulin access, health workforce capacity, and health financing, Helmsley believes the global health community must embrace patient-centered, locally driven solutions. We are encouraged by progress made by the Health Finance Institute and D4DC partnership in Jaliso, Mexico and hope others build on their effort to save lives.”
- James Reid
Program Officer, Type 1 Diabetes
The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust
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