My name is Lucía Feito Allonca and I am a lawyer with dual Spanish and Argentine nationality. I represent the latter country as a Voice of the Circle of Blue of the International Diabetes Federation.
I have been living with type 1 diabetes for 30 years and now I am also living with some of its complications. I am convinced that raising awareness about the importance of access to treatment for non-communicable diseases and the necessary education about them is the key to improving the lives and futures of millions of people.
21 July 2022
My story
I was diagnosed with type I insulin-dependent and brittle diabetes in 1992 at age 10. Years later, visits to health professionals were necessary to treat the acute complications of poorly informed diabetes management.
Insulin doses were "fixed" regardless of what foods were eaten and blood glucose of 300 mg/dL after hypoglycaemia was considered "normal".
The main challenges I encountered were not being able to count on access to the appropriate treatments and insufficient education on how to manage my condition on a day‑to‑day basis.
My story represents that of many people who are living with type 1 diabetes and its complications.
21 July 2022
Healthcare professionals improving lives
I discovered I was living with diabetes complications in 2013. Two years later, when my proliferative retinopathy became more advanced, I met María Alejandra, an oculist who helped me with the request for an insulin pump with continuous glucose monitoring to prevent rapid progression of the complication and avoid blindness.
Access to this treatment option was not easy and required numerous cumbersome procedures.
The cooperation of the health professionals is essential because their attitude can potentially determine whether or not patients get the resources they need.
My ophthalmologist, Maria Alejandra, observes my retina with a dilated pupil to check the condition of the fundus.
21 July 2022
We are not alone
I found my “tribe” of others living with diabetes thanks to the online diabetes community created on social networks.
I realized that I wasn’t alone, and soon ‘Lucía's story’, became ‘our story’: the story of people living with type 1 diabetes, its complications, and other NCDs.
We have many challenges in common: access to treatment, the need for interdisciplinary medical care including for mental health, and the need for proper education on NCD care, social support, and the adequate implementation of our country's policies.
This is the second Diabetes Experience Day in Latin America, which brought together in our country, Argentina, people living with diabetes both here and in other Spanish-speaking countries, such as Spain and Chile.
21 July 2022
Human rights: health and life
It’s essential that we have the necessary resources for diabetes care: test strips, glucometer, glucose sensors, and insulin pumps.
In Argentina, the recent National Diabetes Law Nº 26.914 guarantees 100% coverage of diabetes care, whether public or private, yet most people are unaware of this law.
Laws are of little use if they aren’t put into practice. Many Argentines living with NCDs struggle to access treatment, especially users of the public health system without social security or health insurance. By staying informed about laws and policies, our health professionals can support patients.
This is the photograph of the favorable legal resolution I obtained for the health system to provide me with the supplies I needed to treat my diabetes.
21 July 2022
Diabetes does not wait
Ministry of Health of the Republic of Argentina:
We demand compliance with the Diabetes Law and its periodic updating to cover all available treatment options in order to prevent the development of avoidable complications.
We therefore also ask that you establish comprehensive training programs for health professionals to improve NCD-related knowledge and communication styles with people living with NCDs.
In the photo are the San Martín Hospital in Paraná, Entre Ríos, and the Ministry of Health of the province. The Hospital is significant as it was the first in the public health facility in which I was treated, and it's my wish that all people who are treated there, and in all the health centers in Argentina, enjoy the benefits that we demand to protect our human rights.
NCD Diaries
I am convinced that raising awareness about the importance of access to treatment for non-communicable diseases and the necessary education about them is the key to improving the lives and futures of millions of people.
Lucía Feito Allonca, lived experience of multiple chronic conditions, Argentina
About NCD DIARIES
The NCD Diaries use rich and immersive multimedia approaches to share lived experiences to drive change, using a public narrative framework.
