Diabetes ranks among the top 10 causes of death globally and affects over half a billion people worldwide. Over 80% of those affected live in low- and middle-income countries.
Insulin pens and newer diabetes medicines can simplify treatment and reduce complications for people with diabetes. While these tools are widely available in high-income countries, access in low- and middle-income countries and humanitarian settings is extremely limited, due primarily to their higher prices.
In a series of three stories, we hear from people living with diabetes who have made difficult journeys while trying to manage diabetes treatment. All three people speak about how insulin in pens is easier to transport and administer, especially in challenging and humanitarian situations and as compared to insulin in vials and injected with syringes.
MSF has significantly increased the number of diabetes consultations in its medical programmes: in 2022, MSF performed 205,122 diabetes-related consultations globally. All three people were receiving treatment from MSF in Athens, Greece.
