Children with type 1 diabetes denied insurance coverage

Thiruvananthapuram: Children suffering from type 1 diabetes are being left out of insurance coverage due to age restriction. Currently, insurance schemes, both private and government-approved, only include children with juvenile diabetes after they turn 18 years old.

Parents of these children have filed complaints with the Chief Minister, Leader of Opposition, and the Child Rights Commission, about the exclusion of children with type 1 diabetes from insurance benefits.

‘Mittayi’ initiative, delay in access to insulin pumps

The ‘Mittayi’ project is an initiative launched by the Kerala Social Security Mission to aid children with diabetes. However, parents have reported delays in obtaining insulin pumps for children with glucose fluctuation,(brittle diabetes) through the ‘Mittayi’ project. Over the past six years, only five individuals have received insulin pumps, despite the project including approximately 1,469 children in the state. It is estimated that around 8,000 children in Kerala have type 1 diabetes. But only a few who apply for an insulin pump receive it.

The cost of an insulin pump is around Rs 6 lakh. The provision of the pump is determined based on the technical committee's assessment of the beneficiary's health condition. For the financial year 2023-24, a budget of Rs 3.8 crore has been sanctioned for the operation of the ‘Mittayi’ scheme.