More Kenyan children dying from type 1 diabetes. Why?

The article cites the Access to Medicine Foundation’s latest report, which highlights the rising threat of type 1 diabetes (T1D) among children in Kenya. In 2024 alone, 570 children and adolescents in the country died from T1D—deaths the report says were largely preventable with reliable access to insulin and proper care.  

It echoes the report’s finding that fewer than 10% of the estimated 825,000 children needing T1D care across 71 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) received support through pharmaceutical initiatives in 2023. Despite some progress, major gaps remain in access, affordability, and long-term support. 

In Kenya, programmes like Life for a Child (Lilly) and Changing Diabetes in Children (Novo Nordisk) have reached thousands, but the article notes that many children still lack adequate care. While Kenya ranks 44th out of 113 LMICs in T1D prevalence—at 23 cases per 100,000—mortality remains alarmingly high. 

The article also references the report’s concern that most current initiatives are time-limited and heavily reliant on donations, raising doubts about their long-term impact. Although some companies have begun offering modern insulin products and delivery devices, coverage remains limited. 

 Both the article and the report urge a shift away from short-term, donation-based models toward sustainable, locally anchored systems that ensure continuous, affordable care for children living with T1D in Kenya and similar settings.