Reforms may aid diabetes battle

GP hopeful for use of holistic solutions

For 10 years John was prescribed high doses of insulin to combat his type 2 diabetes — until he met Dr Glen Davis. The Taupo¯ GP helped reverse his chronic condition by changing his diet and lifestyle and he no longer needed insulin.

John is one of the 115 New Zealanders who have reaped these benefits under Davis’ care.

With yesterday’s major health system shake-up, Davis has been given hope his holistic solutions will be heard and greater support will be given to New Zealand’s regions.

The changes unveiled by Health Minister Andrew Little follow a report last month revealing that the soaring number of Kiwis with type 2 diabetes is set to cost our health system $3.5 billion a year by 2040.

“When I heard of the new Ma¯ori health authority I was like ‘wow, this

sounds like a group that is going to listen and listen differently’,” Davis said. He said his patient John had given up hope when he met him: “He wasn’t ever given the opportunity to help his illness go away, he was just

given medication that makes you fat.”

Researchers of The Economic and Social Cost of Type 2 Diabetes report, launched in Parliament last month, warned urgent Government action to combat that steep rise.

Now, our health system spends $2.1b a year treating the chronic condition that can lead to blindness, amputation and a life hooked up to a dialysis machine. By 2040, that yearly cost is predicted to hit $3.5b.

“By changing from an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff approach to a fence at the top, we could be avoiding more than 600 amputations a year in people with type 2 diabetes,” Heather Verry, CEO of Diabetes New Zealand, said.

They were urging regular foot screening for type 2 diabetes patients, community centres to improve prediabetes lifestyles, more education on the illness in schools and communities, and a national strategy rather than DHBS having their own.