The Nationalist Party has backed a proposal to make continuous blood glucose monitors available for free to all diabetes type 1 patients, irrespective of age.

In a statement issued on Saturday, PN MPs Mario Galea and Claudette Buttigieg said that the proposal – first made by the Maltese Diabetes Association – would be included in the PN’s pre-budget document.

The association has said that blood glucose monitors should be start being distributed over a period of time.

Continuous blood glucose monitors are currently given out for free to children under the age of 16 who live with diabetes type 1, following a successful pilot project. That project ended earlier this year but the Health Ministry had subsequently said that children would continue to be given the devices for free.

As their name implies, such monitors continually assess blood sugar levels and immediately warn patients if levels spike or drop.

“These monitors not only spare diabetes patients from a lot of suffering – they also give them dignity and control over their condition,” the two PN MPs said.

“We hope that the government adopts this proposal and includes it in the next budget.”