The number of children with pancreatic
diabetes in Shirak marz grew by 50 % compared to the previous year and there
were revealed children up to 5 years of age, the youngest is 1.5 year-old. This
was reported by Genadi Polozyan, chief endocrinologist of the “Austrian
hospital of mother and child” of Shirak marz. He said that the previous year
there were 20 ill children whereas this year the number increased to 30.

According
to Polozyan, the reason for the growth of pancreatic diabetes among
adult and younger patients is not certainly known in whole world. The Belgian
researches indicate lack of Vitamin D. Many scientists believe the reason of
disease is stress.   

This data has been reported by
Chief children endocrinologist on the round table held on July 27 in Shirak
marz, Gyumri where the results of the monitoring “Protection of the rights of
adult patients with pancreatic diabetes in health sector in the city of Gyumri
within the framework of services commissioned by the State” were published.

Pancreatic diabetes in the world
and in Armenia

In 1970 there were 30 million pancreatic diabetes patients,
whereas today the number of registered patients who receive treatment is 285
million.

According to the National
Statistical Service (NSS) data, the number of persons with pancreatic diabetes
has been growing. There were 35,500 registered patients in Armenia in 1990. At
present the number stands at 45,000. According to the 2007 official data
provided by the NSS and the National Healthcare Information-Analytical Center
(NHIAC) of the National Health Institute (NHI), pancreatic diabetes is ranked
third (4.9%) among the RA population's mortality causes from non-infectious
diseases.

The pancreatic diabetes-related
mortality rate in Armenia is the highest in the region (50.9 deaths per 100,000
population, while the number of deaths is 20.9 in Georgia, Iran and Turkey and
30.9 in Azerbaijan).

According to the data of Health
& Social Security Division in Shirak Regional Governor's Office, 3,513 of
the registered patients with pancreatic diabetes in Armenia (including 1,026
insulin dependent and 2,487 non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients) live in
Shirak region, which stands out owing to the highest rates not only of the
unemployed and homeless but also of other socially insecure persons and
vulnerable groups

Patients who are suffering pancreatic
and non pancreatic diabetes are entitled to receive the medication for free by
outpatient and dispensary healthcare institutions (as approved by the RA
Government 23 November 2006 Decree No. 1717-N).

Doctors assure that for all
patients suffering the pancreatic diabetes in the case of attendance of the outpatient
healthcare institution, regardless the medical prescription, at least one blood
testing have to be conducted per month and once a year the ophthalmologist
should conduct the eye ground examination. :

Free medication is not always provided on time in Shirak
marz

According to the monitoring
results, 95 (96.9% of the) respondents contend that doctors prescribe free
medication. However,
32 (32.6% of the respondents) purchased medication at their own expense because
the prescribed dosage was not enough for the period of time in question, or the
healthcare institution did not give the necessary medication on time (21
respondents, or 65.5%) or else the required medication is not on the list of
medications provided for free or at a discount (11 respondents, or 34.4%).

The insulin in the city of
Gyumri is priced in the range of 6,000-8,000 AMD while insulin syringes are
priced at 25-50 AMD.

Even though the State decreed that
out-of-hospital healthcare assistance and services shall be provided to
patients with pancreatic diabetes for free, 2 respondents (or 2%) pointed out
that they paid for laboratory-instrument tests. 
The overwhelming majority of the respondents (72.4%) were content with
the quality of specialized medical assistance provided to them, while 27.6%
were content only partly. None of the respondents said that he or she was not
content with the quality of specialized medical assistance.

Discontents are mainly
explained by the fact that even though the state allocates free medication, it
is not always provided on time and not always the prescribed dosage is enough.
Besides, the state does not provide with insulin synergies while it is as important
as insulin for patients who insulin-dependent.

The Chief endocrinologist of
Shirak marz Alla Tadevosyan points out that patients with pancreatic diabetes
need a holistic treatment which only partially is implemented in Armenia.

 “Patients pay on their own for the preliminary
examination which costs 30 000 AMD while for the overall treatment very
expensive medication is required and it may cost the patient 60 000 AMD per
month in case that the population of Shirak marz is unable to pay”, told www.hra.am Alla Tadevosyan.

The Chief endocrinologist of
«Austrian hospital of mother and child» of Shirak marz Genadij Polozyan
stressed out that even if the most expensive medication is applied, the disease
will not be cured if the patient does not follow the doctor's prescription.

In the words of the Head of the
Health & Social Security Division in the RA Shirak Regional Governor's
Office Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, they receive from the Health Ministry only 30%
of the overall quantity of anti-diabetic pills needed for the region. Naturally
enough, that quantity cannot meet all patients' needs.

Although the employees of the
same Governor's Office say that the pancreatic diabetes is not a disability but
rather the life style, only those patients with pancreatic diabetes are
entitled to free hospital treatment within the framework of services
commissioned by the State who have been recognized as persons with disability
by the medico-social expert commission.

The first school of obesity will be founded in Armenia

Shirak is the only marz in
Armenia where there is a specialized division for children. Parents from other
marzes are forced to take their kids to Yerevan for treatment or due to lack of
finances do not pursue any treatment.  Genadij
Polozyan believes it is one of the biggest issues in Armenia.

 “It is the only marz
of Armenia where data on 2500 school children is collected. It allowed us to
reveal that 25-30 % of them have the obesity which is the main reason of
pancreatic diabetes. That’s why we are planning to found a first school of
obesity for children in Shirak marz which will be aimed at prevention of
diabetes. We also conduct regular classes for parents and help them to
understand the disease as endocrinologist”, told Polozyan.

The monitoring has been implemented by the World
Vision Armenia Gyumri Area Development programme and “Mush” Development Center
NGO  in the frames of “Grassroots voice
for human rights mobilization” programme. The programme is implemented by the Helsinki
Committee of Armenia and Civil Society Institute NGO.