IMPROVING ACCESS TO INSULIN PENS FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH DIABETES

People living with type 1 diabetes need to inject insulin several times a day to stay alive and healthy.  This can be a challenging procedure, and non-experts, such as parents and other caregivers struggle with glass vials and syringes to administer insulin accurately to infants and children with type 1 diabetes.

Replacing vials and syringes with insulin pens offers many advantages, including insulin dosing accuracy, user-friendly design for quick and easy injections, less discomfort from the injection itself, and the robust and compact design of pens is also ideal for populations who may be on the move, such as refugee or displaced populations.

MSF has transitioned all patients with type 1 diabetes in our clinics in Lebanon from vials to insulin pens. Here are the stories from patients and staff about how the move has improved both medical outcomes and patients’ quality of life.