Diabetics going blind over lack of screening
Friday November 14 2008
Eilish O'Regan Health Correspondent
MANY diabetes sufferers are going blind or having a foot amputated because of a lack of screening and specialist services.
The ongoing toll of preventable complications suffered by many diabetics emerged as a new blueprint for the care of people with the disease was launched by the Health Service Executive (HSE).
However, the HSE Expert Advisory Group's report was launched without any pledge of funding to implement it, apart from €750,000 set aside this year for the first phase of retinopathy screening, which is due to begin next year to help prevent diabetics going blind.
"We welcome the document -- it is a step forward.
" But our understanding is that there is no extra funding for diabetes care next year," said Dr Tony O'Brien, chairman of the Diabetes Federation of Ireland.
"People with diabetes are most afraid of losing a limb or going blind. They are both utterly preventable," said Dr O'Brien.
Earlier yesterday, the HSE signed off on its service plan for 2009, which will set out how it will spend its €14.7bn allocation for day to day services next year.
Plan
The plan will be submitted to Health Minister Mary Harney next week.
It is expected to contain stringent cuts, including ward closures and further curbs on frontline staff recruitment.
The building and equipping of hospitals and other health facilities is also set to suffer as the HSE stretches its capital budget of €540m, a drop of 25pc.
However, it is hoped the recession will allow it to achieve more cost-effective deals with developers anxious for State contracts.
Under the retinopathy screening programme, it is expected about 30,000 people will be offered screening initially between west Limerick and Donegal. Other areas of the country will have to wait until 2010 before it is rolled out.
- Eilish O'Regan Health Correspondent
