A technical publication by Santé Diabète & Médecins sans frontières to document the price of insulin and health products

On the occasion of the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA) being held in Geneva, MSF Access campaign and Santé Diabète are publishing a technical document entitled “Towards Insulin for All: Operationalizing the WHA74 Resolution on Diabetes”).

In May 2021, during the centenary year of the discovery of insulin, WHO member states passed a resolution on “Reducing the burden of noncommunicable diseases through strengthening prevention and control of diabetes” at the 74th World Health Assembly. Within the resolution were specific appeals on access to insulin, directed at both member states and the WHO. This technical brief gives a snapshot of the situation in Kenya, South Africa and Mali [countries where Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) or Santé Diabète provide support for people living with diabetes (PLWD)] regarding these appeals within the resolution. These relate to targets for diabetes care, and inclusion of diabetes and PLWD in national policies and guidelines. In addition, using MSF procurement prices along with available public sector price information from South Africa and Mali, the “bundle” price per patient per year is presented. The bundle calculated includes insulin, its injection device and glucose strips for monitoring as part of a typical treatment regimen for both type 1 (T1) and type 2 (T2) diabetes.

Based on these findings, the brief makes recommendations to countries and the WHO to ensure that treatment options are accessible and affordable for people living with diabetes.

Download the document.