Almost 80% of patients with type II diabetes are forced to buy sugar-lowering medicines at their own expense, Head of the Diabetic Charitable Foundation Natalia Vlasenko said.

"Glycoglycemic medicines in Ukraine are provided in accordance with the Affordable Medicines reimbursement program. But there is a certain problem: the current list of medicines, the cost of which is reimbursed under the Program of Medical Guarantees (PMG), contains a small number of nomenclatures of sugar-lowering medicines, which means a limited opportunity to receive free medicines. Most patients with type II diabetes (almost 80%) are forced to buy at their own expense more effective, but also more expensive medications that provide better compensation for their diabetes," she told Interfax-Ukraine.

Vlasenko said patient organizations continue to actively cooperate with the Ministry of Health and the NHSU to expand the range of blood sugar-lowering medicines for type II diabetes, which will be included in the list of medicines subject to reimbursement.

At the same time, Vlasenko noted the effectiveness of providing insulin within PMG using the reimbursement mechanism. "Currently, thanks to this mechanism, people with diabetes are provided with insulin, which is prescribed by doctors," she said.

At the same time, the expert noted the negative impact of war on the spread of diabetes.

"Today, the incidence of diabetes is significantly increasing. This applies to both IDPs and the rest of the population of Ukraine. Due to military operations, the destruction of medical infrastructure and the lack of medical workers, the possibility of diagnosing and early detection of diabetes is limited, and the proportion of undiagnosed diabetes is increasing," she said.

Vlasenko said before the start of a large full-scale war in Ukraine there were about 1.4 million people with diabetes who were diagnosed, 90% of them had type II diabetes. According to experts, undiagnosed diabetes had about the same number.

Commenting on the situation with diabetes in uncontrolled territories, Vlasenko noted the lack of reliable statistics.

"We have information that in uncontrolled territories, people with diabetes are not provided with the necessary medications if they do not have a Russian passport. Our foundation collected and transferred charitable assistance in the form of medicines, insulin injections and self-control means to uncontrolled territories through volunteers to support people with diabetes," she said.