Decrease price of glucometer strips: Doctor

In order to reduce the cost of glucometer strips and help diabetes patients, a Mumbai-based doctor has recently written a letter to the health ministry of the state. More than any other disease, diabetes needs to be carefully monitored and cared for lifelong. In order to monitor diabetes, a glucometer strip plays an important role.

The strips of branded companies cost between Rs 750 to Rs 800 for each vial containing 30 strips which are over Rs 25 per strip.

Dr Pradeep Gadge, had earlier started an online campaign – #PriceCeilingGlucoStrips – to attract the government's attention on the high cost of glucostrips that every diabetes patient has to bear for managing blood sugar levels.

Diabetics need to measure their blood glucose levels two to three times a day at least before and after meals to check how the medication works with different kinds of food intake. Diabetics have to spend a minimum of Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,250 per month.

Dr Pradeep Gadge, a leading Diabetologist at Gadge diabetes Care Centre wrote letters to government officials and health ministry to take the steps of reduction in the prices of Glucometer strips. In his letter, he requests to make the newly launched digital glucometer by the government easily accessible to masses by supplying these Glucometers to all government centres and hospitals. As of now, there are only 19 centres of Jan Aushadi in Mumbai.

Gadge said, "Most of the times patients end up spending a major chunk of their earnings on diabetes care which includes doctor's consultation fees, pathology, and radiology test, medicine cost and cost of glucometers and glucometer strips."

A COSTLY ISSUE

• Strips of branded companies cost between Rs 750 to Rs 800 for each vial containing 30 strips which are over Rs 25 per strip
   
• Diabetics need to measure their blood glucose levels two to three times a day at least