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Health Check: Insulin availability

A mother injects her daughter with insulin

14/11/2012

Insulin availability

BBC World Service - Health Check, Insulin availability

Insulin has been around for 90 years, why is this treatment for diabetes still so limited?

Injections of insulin help to keep diabetics healthy by controlling their blood sugar. Insulin was first used 90 years ago, but is still expensive or in short supply in some areas.

Insulin
Ninety years after the first ever insulin injection was given to a diabetic to help control their faulty sugar levels, a campaign has been launched to improve access to the life-saving medication.  In countries like Mali insulin costs are as high as 40% of annual income. David Beran, who’s an Adviser to the International Insulin Foundation, is behind the 100 Campaign which aims to stop children with diabetes dying from a lack of insulin. 

Water
How much water do you drink every day? A couple of glasses? Or do you follow advice that eight glasses is healthier? And is it possible to drink too much water? Health Check exposes the facts behind myths concerning the body and water, with help from Professor Ray Playford, Consultant Gastroenterologist at Barts and the Royal London Hospital.

Rubella
Babies can be born deaf or blind if their mothers are exposed to the common childhood illness rubella during the early stages of pregnancy. This is known as congenital rubella syndrome. In the past it was thought that around 80% of the population would need to be vaccinated to reduce this risk. But Jess Metcalf, who’s a Research Fellow at Oxford University, has just conducted research in South Africa which suggests that the figure might be more like 60%. 

Cameroon Cholera
This year more than 100 people have died of cholera in Cameroon. The government is raising awareness about correct hygiene – but is this enough? Francis Ugwa Niba has been to one of the worst affected areas, Douala to gauge local opinion.

(Image: A mother injects her daughter with insulin, Credit: Science Photo Library)

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