Millions spent on diabetes — but no strategy in place

IRELAND spends hundreds of millions of euro annually treating preventable complications in diabetes patients, but has no national strategy to tackle the growing health issue.

A comparison of 15 EU countries shows Ireland has the fourth-highest spend on direct medical intervention for diabetes care despite having the lowest prevalence rate of diabetes in adults (3.4%).

The figures, contained in an audit of diabetes rates and care in all 25 EU states, estimates Ireland spends up to 10% of its €11 billion health budget each year on diabetes and related health issues, which include cardiovascular disease, blindness, lower limb amputation and renal failure.