The new Prince Edward Island Diabetes Strategy and Insulin Pump Program for Children and Youth will help Islanders who are living with or at risk of developing diabetes, says Health and Wellness Minister Doug Currie.
“Our government recognizes the physical, emotional and financial impact that diabetes can have on Islanders and has made a series of investments to improve programs and services for Islanders with diabetes,” said the minister. “The release of the new Prince Edward Island Diabetes Strategy and the new Insulin Pump Program for children and youth are huge steps toward understanding and helping to manage diabetes in our province and improving the health and quality of life of Islanders.”
The new Prince Edward Island Insulin Pump Program will help improve the lives of children with type 1 diabetes. This program will allow parents or guardians of children and youth under the age of 19, living with type 1 diabetes, and who meet the medical eligibility requirements, to apply for coverage that will assist with the costs associated with insulin pump therapy. Eligibility for the insulin pump program is determined by a number of medical criteria which will be evaluated by an individual’s diabetes care team, including the child or youth’s pediatrician or internal medicine specialist, as well as clinicians from the Health PEI Provincial Diabetes Program.
More than 13,000 Islanders currently live with diabetes or pre-diabetes. The Prince Edward Island Diabetes Strategy for 2014-2017 was developed over the past year with the input of key stakeholders involved with diabetes care. Through this consultation, Health PEI has developed a three-year diabetes strategy and accompanying diabetes implementation plan. This strategy will help prepare for the future needs of Islanders who are living with or at risk of developing diabetes.
“We applaud the Government of Prince Edward Island for making these important investments in diabetes,” says Terry Lewis, manager, community engagement (Atlantic Canada) at the Canadian Diabetes Association. “This is a great next step in ensuring Islanders with diabetes have the tools they need to better manage their disease, ultimately improving their health."
Some risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes that Islanders should be aware of include family history, being overweight (especially around the abdomen), poor eating habits and lack of physical activity. In the last ten years, the percentage of Islanders living with diabetes rose 46 percent. Type 2 diabetes is also more common in persons over 40 years of age, and, with an aging population, Islanders can expect a further increase in the number of people with diabetes in years to come.
“Over the past year, a steering committee developed key objectives as part of the three-year implementation plan. Moving forward, working groups will be created to help coordinate the work that needs to be done on the initiatives identified in the Strategy,” said Martha St. Pierre, Provincial Diabetes Clinical Leader with Health PEI. “We appreciate the input we have had from our stakeholders, specifically the Canadian Diabetes Association, and look forward to working with them on the implementation of this Strategy.”
For more information on the Prince Edward Island Insulin Pump Program for Children and Youth visit: www.healthpei.ca/insulin-pump.
To download a copy of the PEI Diabetes Strategy for 2014-2017, please go to www.healthpei.ca/DiabetesStrategy.