A petition has been submitted to the People's Majlis calling for improved support and reduced treatment costs for people living with type 1 diabetes in the Maldives.

The motion, submitted by Mohamed Ibrahim, requests that medical equipment and treatment required for type 1 diabetes be covered under the Aasandha health insurance scheme. It also calls for senior Aasandha officials to be summoned before the Parliament's Social Affairs Committee to discuss challenges faced by patients.

The petition highlights difficulties in obtaining essential diabetes supplies in the Maldives, including testing strips, insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) sensors. It also seeks the provision of glucose meters and strips for patients of all ages, easier access to costly medical equipment, financial assistance for families travelling from the atolls for treatment, and the deployment of specialist doctors to government hospitals.

According to the Diabetes Society Registry, more than 330 people in the Maldives are living with type 1 diabetes, including 113 children under the age of 18. The petition notes that while insulin pumps have helped patients better manage their condition, access to the service has recently been discontinued.