Team Type 1 Helps Secure Glucose Strips & Meters For Rwanda

From Team Type 1:

SUCCESS FOR THE PEOPLE OF RWANDA!

The Rwanda Ministry of Health Adds Blood Glucose Test Strips and Meters to the Insurance Formulary

For the last 4 years, the Team Type 1 Foundation provided all test strips and meters for the type 1 diabetes population in Rwanda. Our work was guided by a memorandum of understanding with the Rwanda Ministry of Health.

That MOU recently expired. At this very moment, the type 1 diabetics who cannot afford to buy their own strips and meters simply go without. Their government is not currently providing them.

The East African Diabetes Study Group congress was held March 12 – 14 in Rwanda. Our founder and President, Phil Southerland, attended and met with numerous health policy makers and key opinion leaders.

Phil Southerland:

“We spent a great deal of time with various teams within the Ministry of Health (MOH), who have agreed to put blood glucose testing strips and meters into the Insurance Formulary, which means in short time, people with type 1 diabetes will have affordable and, more importantly, sustainable access to blood glucose monitoring supplies. This really is a dream come true, and I must tip my hat to the current team at the MOH”

Team Type 1 initiated this reform through its sustainable diabetes program created by co-founder Biljana Southerland, MD.

Biljana Southerland:

“This is a powerful example for the rest of Africa to follow! It proves to the World Health Organization that these countries are ready to help their people – but they need a little help by WHO to make such reform happen. This is a big opportunity for the African Health System. The general director of the WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, is the former Minister of Health of Ethiopia and is known for comprehensive reform efforts in that country’s health system. He understands this plight and will hopefully bring change.”

Team Type 1 would like to thank the donors and other supporters who allowed us to bring this life-saving change.