More than 70 people gathered outside the Cabinet of Ministers on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, to demand state-funded continuous glucose monitoring sensors for patients with type 1 diabetes.
Demonstrators held placards with slogans including “Diabetes doesn’t disappear on your 18th birthday,” and “Glucose sensors – a benefit to the state, not a loss,” along with appeals to members of the Saeima to reconsider their vote on allocating funds for medical devices. Health Minister Hosams Abu Meri (“Jaunā Vienotība”) came out to speak with the protesters.
Current Coverage Limitations
Currently in Latvia, continuous glucose monitoring sensors are only covered for children and young people up to 18 years of age, while insulin pumps are covered up to 24 years of age. Diabetes patients believe the age limit does not align with patients’ medical needs, as the need for technology persists beyond that point.
Diabetes patients emphasize that covering the cost of glucose monitoring sensors would not only help them, but also reduce the burden on the healthcare system by limiting the complications of the disease. One placard at the protest depicted potential complications: blindness, amputation, kidney failure, and death.
Gunta Freimane, Chair of the Latvian Diabetes Association, stated in an interview with Latvian Radio that following a previous picket, the Saeima Social and Labor Affairs Committee tasked the Ministry of Health (VM) with preparing proposals for resolving the issue. The association subsequently met with the ministry and representatives of the National Health Service to discuss the VM’s proposals, but these were not considered satisfactory.
“The offer was to pay for these glucose sensors for 500 adults with type 1 diabetes, which is less than 10% of the total number of patients.”
Freimane stated that glucose sensors are needed by all patients with type 1 diabetes, adding that such regulations, which only address less than 10% of patients, are “very restrictive and also discriminatory.”
Freimane emphasized that the association, the diabetes community, and the Latvian Endocrinologists Association do not agree with this solution, because “the lag behind other European countries in this area has accumulated for more than 10 years.”
“We have been waiting for a very long time for when we can treat type 1 diabetes as they do in almost all other European countries. It is necessary to continue demonstrating that we do not agree with this solution. At the same time, we are also facing the government, because we desire to emphasize that it is budget formation time and this funding must also be provided in the 2027 budget,” Freimane noted.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the current age limits for state-funded medical devices for diabetes patients in Latvia?
Currently, continuous glucose monitoring sensors are state-funded for patients up to 18 years of age, and insulin pumps are funded up to 24 years of age.
What was the Ministry of Health’s proposal regarding sensor coverage?
The Ministry of Health proposed covering the cost of glucose sensors for 500 adults with type 1 diabetes, which represents less than 10% of the total patient population.
What is the Latvian Diabetes Association’s position on the current situation?
The Latvian Diabetes Association, along with the diabetes community and the Latvian Endocrinologists Association, does not agree with the current proposals and believes the gap between Latvia and other European countries in this area has been growing for over 10 years.
What further steps will be taken to address the concerns of diabetes patients in Latvia?
