Today, Prince Edward Island Finance Minister Heath MacDonald tabled the provincial budget, which includes a forecasted $32 million dollar increase for Health PEI. An extra investment in the health system is welcome news for Diabetes Canada, which expects the provincial Diabetes Strategy to soon be renewed.
“With this investment, PEI has the opportunity to invest in much-needed diabetes supports and service enhancements that can improve the lives of Islanders living with diabetes or prediabetes, says Jake Reid, senior director of Government Relations for Diabetes Canada. “The PEI provincial Diabetes Strategy is due for renewal, and we expect some of this new funding will be directed toward the needs of people living with diabetes", says Reid. “Any investment in health needs to take into consideration the high prevalence of diabetes in the province or it will be a wasteful exercise.”
Diabetes is a major concern for the province, as complications from poor diabetes management contributes to 30 per cent of all strokes, 40 per cent of heart attacks, 50 per cent of kidney failure requiring dialysis, and 70 per cent of non-traumatic lower limb amputations every year, and is a leading cause of vision loss.
Recently released statistics from Diabetes Canada suggest that 15,000 Islanders live with diabetes (10 per cent of the population) and this represents $17 million in direct health-care costs annually for the province. Left unchecked, diabetes rates in the province is projected to rise to 20,000 (12 per cent of the population within the next 10 years.
About Diabetes Canada
Diabetes Canada is the registered national charitable organization that is making the invisible epidemic of diabetes visible and urgent. Diabetes Canada partners with Canadians to End Diabetes through:
- Resources for health care professionals on best practices to care for people with diabetes;
- Advocacy to governments, schools and workplaces; and
- Funding world-leading Canadian research to improve treatments and find a cure.
For more information, visit diabetes.ca or call 1-800-BANTING (226-8464).