PEI

P.E.I.'s lack of funding for insulin pumps 'disgraceful'

The official Opposition on P.E.I. wants to know why uptake has been so low in a provincial program to buy insulin pumps for Islanders with type-1 diabetes.

James Aylward says province has only spent fraction of $800K it pledged

Seven-year-old Ellie Clark holds her insulin pump, which also works with an implant to display blood sugar levels, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2007, in Grandville, Mich. Diabetes care is undergoing a transformation. Thousands of patients are switching from a few finger-pricks a day to track their disease to new sensors that keep guard around the clock. The last six months brought big boosts to the technology, as federal health officials approved the first model for children _ one that works for three days in a row _ and the longest-working version yet, a seven-day model for adults. The ultimate goal is to create an "artificial pancreas," pairing these sensors with insulin pumps that would automatically dispense doses to make a diabetic's blood sugar more like a healthy person's.
P.E.I. only provides funding for insulin pumps for children 18 and younger. (Adam Bird/The Associated Press)

The official Opposition on P.E.I. wants to know why uptake has been so low in a provincial program to buy insulin pumps for Islanders with type-1 diabetes.

The province unveiled the program in 2014 with a budget of $400,000 a year.

But over the last two years, only about 10 per cent of the money has been spent.

"In two years, it should have been $800,000. What did this government do? They spent $85,000. Disgraceful," said Opposition health critic James Aylward.

P.E.I. only provides funding for insulin pumps for children 18 and younger. But the Canadian Diabetes Association said if P.E.I. wanted to expand eligibility for the program, the budget of $400,000 a year would be enough to provide insulin pumps for all Islanders who need them.