The newspaper of the Lithuanian Diabetes Association
No 4 (32) November 10, 2001
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Page 1
LDA – The Member
of the International Diabetes Federation.
The information about LDA working hours is
provided.
An
appeal from the Congress of Lithuanian Doctors Unit in Panevezys, 19 October
2001,
by V.Augustiniene, the President of LDA.
Dear doctors,
Congratulations on 11 years of meaningful activity. On
behalf of people with diabetes thank you for your work and striving help us.
Much work is done but still there are many difficulties and obstacles to overcome.
I speak on behalf of 29 patients organisations. A few
weeks ago they together with Lithuanian doctors appealed to President of
Lithuanian Republic, Chairman of the Seimas, Premier, and Minister of Health
Care for the first time with the appeal “Due to Lithuanian health care
budgeting”. There is required that in 2002 at least 5% of General National
Product was delivered to health care, according to Lithuanian Health Care law.
To hope that an appeal will be heard immediately is
naive. Threading facts, laws and arguments do not excite the government. The
government reacts only to rude pressing, drastic actions and scandals.
I dear to say, that we want to enhance health care
budgeting and to change politics’ attitude toward health care system.
The most of political parties and politics think
health care is stable and not bothering sector, where much confusion exist but
internal resources as well. Doctors resist to reforms, pharmacy companies earn
from compensated medicine and patients do not claim for such system. That is,
that sector is unpopular and complicated and does not provide political
popularity.
Thus it is not strange that government plans to
diminish health care budgeting in 2002. In 2002, 1.8 mlrd. Litas is planed for
health care instead of needed 2.3 mlrd. Thus, it is obvious that we lack 500
mln litas next year and system will not work. Health care system withstood many
threads but it looks like growing financial crisis leads to system fiasco.
This year health care budgeting is only 4.3% of General
National Product, as you know. According to this number we are lower than
Poland, Estonia and even Byelorussia and Moldavia. It seems it can not be
worse.
Politics declare health care is an important priority
of the State but diminishes budgeting at the same time. “No money” - they say.
That is not the truth. There is the money. Lithuanian
economics is growing. We lack politic will and personalities fighting for
health care system budgeting in political level.
During 10 independent Lithuania years no party was
capable to prepare a long-term reformation plan, were step-by-step diminution
of hospitals, modernisation of hospitals, increasing doctors payment program
was provided. There are achievements during 10 years especially in the field of
medical help and modern and effective medicine accessibility. But budgeting
idea did not change and hospitals get ¾ of all money.
Health care system does not go on strike because of
Hypocrites oath. Many of us adapted to hopeless situation and our helplessness.
Somewhere is way out. If we work together we can
achieve much more.
There are a few thousands of doctors and a few
hundreds thousands of patients in Lithuania. Many patients are not organised
but they unite because situation is hopeless.
It is understandable, that interests of doctors and
patients are different, but it is obvious that we share a common interest:
health care budgeting must be enhanced permanently.
Lithuanian people know that health care need more
money. A journal “Veidas” ordered a survey, which helped to find out an opinion
of people about priority budgeting in Lithuania. According to people opinion
health care budgeting should get 19.2 % of money and only social care was
higher.
It is not strange. According to official data health
care spent 2 mlrd litas this year. Unofficial data states that de facto 3-3.5
mlrd litas are spent for health care. That is, people pay for health care
unofficially 1-1.5 mlrd. litas a year. Poor people can not afford it. “Free
medicine” is only a myth.
That is the most propitious situation to act together
and gain changes in politics opinion: Lithuanian economics is growing, social
democrats declare “socially oriented” politics, and health care budgeting is
diminished.
Together we can seek that health care was one of the
main topics in 2002 collection of President in Lithuania.
We offer:
1.
To
declare that the project for 2002 budget is “antisocial” and health care
budgeting must be increased by at least 15 %.
2.
To
initiate informal “5 % GNP alliance”, seeking that health care budgeting was
not less than 5 % GNP.
Situation is complicated but not hopeless. We need
only resolute actions. We can win together.
Page 4
An
appeal from congress of Lithuanian Doctors Unit in Panevezys, 19 October 2001,
by V.Augustiniene, the President of LDA (continued
from page 3).
Conference
in Taurage,
By Laima Valcackiene
Taurage diabetes club “Insula” organized a conference
about diabetes care. Vida Augustiniene, Marija Lapiene, Juzefa Uleckiene,
Jurate Margelyte took part in it and answered to an urgent questions.
To The President of Lithuania Mr.
V.Adamkus,
The Chairman of the Parliament of
Lithuania (Seimas) Mr. A.Paulauskas,
The Premier Mr. A.Brazauskas,
The Minister of Health Care Mr.
K.R.Dobrovolskis,
The Parliament of Lithuania acquired
health to be the most valuable social and economical thing according to Health
Law.
According to National Health Conception,
Lithuanian Health Program and LR Health System Law health care budgeting should
not be diminished even in span of economical difficulties.
In 2001 year account of National Health
Service is stated that Lithuanian government does not ensure at least 5 % GNP
health care budgeting and Lithuania is the eighth among East Europe countries
in health care budgeting.
An income of Obligatory Health Insurance
Fund diminishes permanently.
Health system reform is a burden for
doctors and patients because of poor budgeting. In 1999 Seimas legalised 20 %
and 50 % additional payment for compensated medicine and services. Plan to
legalise even bigger payment for ambulance care brought despair to patients.
Lithuanian people have little possibilities to pay for medicine. There is a big
thread to break the right to live.
We loose the use of modern medicine, as do
not enhance effective health care. Only modern methods can help to some
patients to become members of society of full value.
Our economics is obviously increasing.
General National Product is growing permanently. The Lithuanian Economics
Program foresights 5 % increase of GNP a year. So it is strange that budget for
health care in that program is so small.
We apply to you and require 5 % of GNP for
health care in 2002. This is established in Lithuanian law and is necessary for
health system reform.
This appeal is signed by 87 organisations
(patients, doctors, chiefs of clinics, rector of Kaunas medical university,
dean of medical faculty of Vilnius University, etc.). The appeal is written and
gathered signs on the Lithuanian Diabetes Association’s initiative.
Page 6-7
·
On August 1, 2001, the meeting of LDA council took place.
·
On August 11, Plunge diabetes club celebrated 10-year jubilee. The
president of LDA Vida Augustiniene and the delegation of Skuodas diabetes club
greeted Plunge club on that occasion.
·
On August 14, International diabetes education camp in Druskininkai was
closed. Young people shared impressions and discussed with Vida Augustiniene about
camp results.
·
On August 20, the President of LDA Vida Augustiniene met the chief of
Kaunas Medicine University Endocrinology clinic Gintautas Kazanavicius. The
urgent doctors’ and patients’ questions were discussed.
·
On August 22, the chiefs of different patients’ organisations met
substitute Haroldas Baubinas by State patients fund director. Vida Augustiniene
represented the LDA. Haroldas Baubinas presented a new list of compensated
medicine.
·
On August 28, different patients’ organisations met the chiefs of health
department. Vida Augustiniene took part in the meeting.
·
On August 29, the work group in State patients’ fund and specialists
made more precise a list of compensated medicine and health care services. Vida
Augustiniene took part in discussion.
·
On September 7, the representatives of LDA Juzefa Uleckiene and Vida
Augustiniene took part in the seminar by Taurage diabetes club.
·
During September 9-13, the members of LDA council Ona Jurkauskiene,
Jurate Kulbokiene and Vida Augustiniene took part in a conference by European
Association for the Study of Diabetes in Great Britain, Glasgow.
·
During September 18-19, the LDA took part in an exhibition “A face of
the city is healthy and beautiful people”. An information about diabetes was
provided and blood glucose tests were conducted. 21 % of checked people had
higher rate of blood glucose than a norm. 85 % of them are older than 40, 75% -
has overweight, 15% has relatives with diabetes.. Abbot Medisense and Eksmos
MTC supported the tests.
·
On September 25 the LDA signed an agreement with Interlux.
·
During September 28-30, Vida Augustiniene, Saulius Narkunas and Jelena
Simoniene took part in a conference by Diabetes Associations from Baltic
countries in Riga. Novo Nordisk
supported a conference.
·
On October 2, Vida Augustiniene (Diabetes Association) and
representatives of other diseases patients’ organisations announced an appeal
“Due to health care system budgeting” in the press conference, organised in the
Baltic News Service agency. The president of LDA collected 87 signatures. An
Appeal was delivered to the President of Lithuania, Chairman of Seimas, Prime
Minister and Minister of Health Department.
·
During October 8-10, a last meeting of
“II type diabetes school LDA” project participants from 16 Lithuania districts
took place. Council for the Affairs of Disabled at the Government supports a
project. Results will be presented in Diabetes No1/33, 2002.
·
On October 10, Kupiskis diabetes club “Kupa” visited the LDA.
·
During October 12-14, the representatives of LDA Genovaite
Naidzinaviciene and Vida Augustiniene took part in a meeting of International
Diabetes Federation council for Europe. IDF and Novo Nordisk supported a delegation from Lithuania.
·
On October 19, representative of patients’ organisations took part in
the meeting of doctors’ association for the first time. The President of LDA
Vida Augustiniene turned an attention into politics’ attitude to health care.
She invited to act together gaining that at least 5 % of GNP was divided to
health care in 2002.
·
On October 24, a substitute director Haroldas Baubinas of State
patients’ fund presented an information about compensated medicine and services
in LDA council meeting. Organisational questions of LDA and World Diabetes Day
meetings were discussed.
·
November 14 is World Diabetes Day. The topic of 2001 year is “Diabetes
and Cardiovascular diseases”. The event is organised in co-operation with
Lithuanian Heart Association. The event is going to take place in all districts
of Lithuania: on November 9 – in Ukmerge, on November 10 – in Kaunas, during
November 10-11 – a conference for nurses diabetes educators and diabetes foot
care in Birstonas, during November 13-14 – in Vilnius, on November 14 – in
Kursenai, Alytus, Utena, Sakiai, Siauliai, Jonava, on November 15 – in Silute,
on November 16 – in Anyksciai, Marijampole, Radviliskis, Raseiniai, Kelme,
Taurage, on November 17 – in Rokiskis, Kaunas, on November 19 – in Panevezys,
on November 20 – in Kupiskis, Mazeikiai, Pakruojis, Svencioneliai, on November
21 – in Akmene, on November 24 – in Joniskis, during November 23-24 – a
conference for doctors ”An urgent diabetes questions” in Palanga.
Page 8
The Letters
The LDA
post-box is full of letters with the impressions from summer camps. Young
people say thanks for information and knowledge. They are thankful to
organisers and camp staff for good rest.
Rest in Latvia
Diana
Jacevic shares her impressions about summer camp in Latvia. She tells about
entertainment for children and is amused that the camp was different from
others because people in it had to adapt an information and use in practise.
Page 9
Advertisements on new
insulin injectors of Eli Lilly company.
Page 10
World experts’
information about the new wave of diabetes,
By International Diabetes Federation
The president of IDF warns about the new wave of diabetes and
informs about an important study “Navigator”.
Pages 10-13
Pages 14-15
Recipes of some healthy pies are presented
as Christmas holidays are coming.
Pages 16-17
(continued from pages 10-13)
Page 18
Advertisement on
self control devices Glucotrend Softclix of Roche Diagnostics.
Page 19
Always by side,
By
Robertas Simonis (continued from Diabetes No2/30).
Robertas
Simonis tells about childhood impression and mother’s influence into his
memories.
Page 20
Diabetes in
Philippines
Prepared by Rosa Allyn G. Sy, The Vice-President by FDA.
The information about Philippines Diabetes Association is provided. The
FDA was fund in 1958. The first president of FDA was Wencceslao Vitug. FDA is
an active member of IDF. It budgets different diabetes researches and projects,
provides a necessary information for people with diabetes in Philippines.
By Dr. Vita Zekaite
Young doctor shares her impressions about tender children in diabetes
summer camp. Their patience and serious attitude to the illness amused her. She
thanks to Vida Augustiniene for the possibility to know better diabetes daily
routine.
Page 21
(continued
from page 20)
Page
22
Information about possibility to order and acquire an
armlet for identification of a person with diabetes is provided. The chiefs of
diabetes clubs are invited to inform people with diabetes, society, emergency
medical service and police about the meaning of an armlet.
Page 23
Page 24
Page 25
Page 26
Night-time
hypoglycaemia and day-time hyperglycaemia,
The
members of diabetes club “Dia Telsiai” shares their impressions from the
meeting with the “Cukraus kalnas” author.
Page 27
During September 9-13, the conference of EASD took
place in Great Britain, Glasgow. Ona Jurkauskiene provides an information from
this conference about the news in diabetes care. She presents new medicine and
services.
Page
28
Advertisements of Berlin-Chemie Menarini Group and
MediSense.
An
information about new books for people with diabetes is provided.