November 14 marks World Diabetes Day, established by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Diabetes Federation in 1991. This day raises awareness about diabetes, its prevention and treatment. The date was chosen in honour of the birthday of Frederick Banting, who, together with John Macleod, discovered insulin.
According to WHO data, nearly 422 million people worldwide live with diabetes.
According to the National Health Service of Ukraine, as of November 2025, there were more than 1.3 million patients with diabetes in the electronic health care system. This year, as of November, more than 190,000 patients were diagnosed with diabetes for the first time. Last year, this number was approximately 260,000. There has been an increase in the incidence of type II diabetes among patients, with most diagnoses occurring in people aged 18-54. There has been a slight increase in patients aged 65 and older.
There are two main types of diabetes mellitus – type I and type II. They share a common feature – elevated blood sugar levels, but arise from different causes and are treated differently.
Type I diabetes (insulin-dependent) occurs when a person's own immune system destroys the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Without this hormone, the body cannot absorb glucose, causing blood sugar levels to rise sharply. This type of diabetes is more common in children, adolescents and young adults.
Type II diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease in which the body produces insulin but cells lose their sensitivity to it. As a result, glucose cannot enter the cells and accumulates in blood, causing elevated blood sugar levels. This type of diabetes can occur in patients of all ages, both adults and children. However, thanks to modern treatment, healthy lifestyle and monitoring of indicators, people with diabetes can live full, active and long lives.
Patients receive insulin under the “Affordable Medicines” reimbursement programme via electronic prescription. At the end of 2023, test strips for self-monitoring of glucose levels for patients with type I diabetes were also included in the programme.
Currently, patients with diabetes mellitus can obtain the necessary medicines and medical devices in pharmacies free of charge or with a partial co-payment under the state reimbursement programme “Affordable Medicines.”
The State Service of Ukraine on Medicines and Drugs Control has developed amendments to the Licensing conditions for economic activities in manufacturing of medicines, wholesale and retail trade of medicines and import of medicines (except for active pharmaceutical ingredients), according to which all pharmacies must join the state programme “Affordable Medicines” by concluding a corresponding agreement with the National Health Service of Ukraine. The relevant amendments to the Licensing conditions were approved by Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 1417 dated December 13, 2024, which came into force on July 1, 2025.
The State Service of Ukraine on Medicines and Drugs Control maintains the Register of persons responsible for putting medical devices, active implantable medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices into circulation.
The Register of persons responsible for putting medical devices, active implantable medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices into circulation, contains information on more than 60 persons responsible for placing in vitro diagnostic medical devices on the market, namely blood glucose meters and test strips.
The State Service of Ukraine for Medicines and Drugs Control has added blood glucose meters and test strips for measuring blood glucose levels to the sectoral plan for state market surveillance for 2025, approved on November 29, 2024.