Our Global Fight Against Diabetes

“Having these products on hand increases patient compliance and lowers risk of amputations, vision loss, kidney failure and other serious complications of diabetes”
– Dr. Frank Bia, AmeriCares Medical DirectorAt home in rural Piura, Peru, Elizabeth worried about her health. Her younger sister had diabetes, but how could Elizabeth learn if she herself was at risk? A medical test would be expensive for this single mother. When Elizabeth heard AmeriCares was offering free blood testing near her home last March, she lined up to be one of 730 people screened.To her relief, Elizabeth’s test results were normal. The free screening Elizabeth attended was just the first step in a year-long diabetes project AmeriCares is managing in Peru with support from Bristol-Myers Squibb. Our local partners in the area, Peru-VIDA and Piura Fair Trade, will follow 250 diabetic and pre-diabetic patients and provide various treatment and educational materials for those patients and their families and friends. AmeriCares and Bristol-Myers Squibb will learn which interventions have the most effect on preventing and managing diabetes in a poor, rural community. This is crucial because diabetes, left untreated, can cause kidney failure.Peru is just one country where AmeriCares is helping to educate, screen and treat people with this chronic disease. Last year, AmeriCares distributed diabetes medicines to 56 countries worldwide. In the U.S., where an estimated 1.2 million uninsured residents have diabetes, our Chronic Disease Initiative makes educational materials and therapies available for clinics’ low income patients. Many of our 550 U.S. partners also provide their patients with the medicines and supplies we donate. In just the last two years, AmeriCares donated 4.6 million insulin syringes and nearly 1 million pen needles, both provided by the medical technology company BD.“Having these products on hand increases patient compliance and lowers risk of amputations, vision loss, kidney failure and other serious complications of diabetes,” says Dr. Frank Bia, AmeriCares medical director. Screening, education, medicine, supplies and support for clinics: AmeriCares is involved in every step necessary to combat this global disease.Learn more about AmeriCares Chronic Disease Initiative.Donate Now