(June 8, 2022) – Paul Dinn, PC Official Opposition Shadow Minister for Health and Community Services and MHA for Topsail - Paradise, is again calling on the provincial Liberal government to cover the costs of continuous glucose monitoring for people living with diabetes in our province on the heels of the new program rollout in Prince Edward Island.

Prince Edward Island announced their program in May and is the first Atlantic Canadian province to implement such a program as of June 1. Advocates have lobbied to have the cost of these devices covered by their respective governments as they are proven to help people better manage their diabetes.

“The PC Official Opposition and I have been calling for such a program for years now and it’s time for the provincial Liberal government to act. In 2020, the Minister committed to a review and eighteen months later informed the legislature that this review yielded no recommendations,” said Dinn.

“Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are being left behind as more jurisdictions realize the health benefits of these life changing devices.”

The Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA) says Newfoundland and Labrador has the highest rates of diabetes in the country, and about 35 per cent of population in Newfoundland and Labrador are living with diabetes or prediabetes, which is the leading cause of blindness.

The CDA says 30% of strokes, 40% of heart attacks, 50% of kidney failure requiring dialysis, and 70% of all non-traumatic leg and foot amputations are complications of poor diabetes management.

“Implementing a program such as this will reduce complications associated with diabetes, improve people’s lives, and will save our healthcare system money. With the rising cost of living, a program like this can help people manage their diabetes without a financial burden,” said Dinn.

“We all hope for a day when having to manage diabetes is a thing of the past, but until that time, the Premier needs to act.”

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Contacts:

David Maher

Director of Strategic Communications

(cell) 709-725-0984

DavidMaher@gov.nl.ca