Today in the world more than 180 million people suffer from pancreatic diabetes. The number of sick people grows each year. Such statistics gave an impetus to the endocrinologists to declare the pancreatic diabetes the “AIDS of the XXIth century”. The Head Doctor of Minsk City endocrinological dispensary, the candidate of medical sciences Irina Bilodid tells about the number of sick people in the Belarusian capital, about help of the state and the place, where the science “How to live with diabetes” is taught.In the cities, especially in the capitals, the level of incidence rate is always higher, than in the countryside. This is explained by great possibilities of inspection for making a diagnosis. In Minsk the number of people with pancreatic diabetes is, unfortunately, growing and each fifteen years it increases twice. If in 1992 this disease was found by eighteen thousand people, then today thirty seven and a half of Minsk citizens live with such a diagnosis.
— And if to compare these indicators with foreign ones?
— On the stairs under the name of “Diabetes” Belarus and Europe are on the same step. The same regularity was noted there: approximately each fifteen years the number of sick people doubles.
— At the present time in Belarus the national program “Pancreatic diabetes” is being carried out. Tell us, what it includes.
— The program is being realized in several directions. The first one is provision of patients with medicaments. Today those people, who need sugar-lowering preparations, receive them free of charge. The Ministry of Public Health centrally buys insulin of both home and foreign manufacture. The second direction is provision of the patients with devices of self-control. Today there is a wide choice of glucometers in the country, including Belarusian ones. All possible is made in order the patient at any time could independently check the level of sugar. And the third direction is diagnostics of specific diabetical complications, connected with deterioration of vascular supply of eyes, kidneys and legs. The chemical reagents were bought for malfunction of kidneys, equipment — for treatment of late complications, chemicals — for evaluation of the level of diabetes compensation, in other words, for clarification, to what extent the level of sugar in blood corresponds with the same level of a healthy person.
— As for medicaments, in European countries today insulin is widely used, obtained with the help of gene-engineering technologies. What is the situation in our country?
— There is an active transition to gene-engineering insulin in Belarus. The state annually increases its purchase: both ready-made, and in the form of a substance. It is used for the production of a preparation here, in Belarus. Concern “Belbiopharm” has been producing it for two years already. One of the leading producers of medicaments, which is on the world market of pharmaceutics during one hundred years, sells this substance. Three fourths of total gene-engineering insulin, consumed in the country, falls on “Belbiopharm” and only remaining 25 percents are imported. On the whole, the insulin is bought, meant for the children and teenagers. Special equipment is necessary for its production.
— Nevertheless, if the disease didn’t skirt a person, where he can receive full information on the way of life with diabetes?
— There are special “Schools of diabetes” in Belarus. They work in all hospitals, where there are endocrinology departments, practically in all polyclinics and, of course, in endocrinological dispensaries. In the “Schools of diabetes” it is explained, how to control the level of glucose, what to do to lower it, how to avoid complications. Here people also teach to feed correctly and define necessary physical activity for the patients, namely stout people are in the high-risk group on development of pancreatic diabetes. Such “schools” are rather called for, as the sick people understand: you need to control it independently. In order to do this skilfully — the main thing is not to the detriment of health, — you need to possess information. You can obtain it in the “School of diabetes”.
— How the patients with pancreatic diabetes are recorded?
— Last year a special register of pancreatic diabetes began its work. This is an electronic database of the patients, living on the territory of Belarus. The register is not complete yet — we have only begun to fill it in. In order to finish this business, we will need several years. On the whole, we would like to create a register, but to supplement it possibly scarcer.
Olga Korney
