The first batch of insulin, a vital drug for the treatment of diabetes mellitus, purchased under a joint project of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan (MHMIT), was delivered by UNDP to Turkmenistan and handed over to the Ministry of Health.

The $ 32.8 million project to assist in the control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), signed in December 2020, is fully funded by the Government of Turkmenistan and provides for the supply of essential drugs for the treatment of cardiovascular, oncological, endocrine, neurological and chronic respiratory diseases

Under the terms of the project, the procurement of drugs from UNDP is carried out centrally at the headquarters level in Copenhagen (Denmark) on the basis of a transparent open international tender. When considering proposals, compliance with strict international quality standards for medicines is taken into account.

The first batch delivered includes the fast-acting insulins - Actrapid and Mikstard. In the near future, UNDP will supply other types of insulins, syringes and needles from European manufacturers. The total cost of insulins is over US $ 1.8 million.

“Procurement through international organizations allows us to provide quality drugs at the most favorable prices,” noted the Head of the UNDP Program Department in Turkmenistan, Rovshen Nurmuhamedov. UNDP provides assistance in procurement of medical products to more than 36 countries, including Turkmenistan. In particular, UNDP has been purchasing medical products for the National Program for the Prevention and Control of Tuberculosis in Turkmenistan since 2010 under a tuberculosis grant from the Global Fund. Since 2016, at the request of the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan, we also assist in the procurement of medicines for other infectious diseases. In 2020, our collaboration with MHMIT has expanded to include non-communicable diseases. We are delighted to be able to do our part to provide continuous and quality healthcare services right now, with the current global complexities and disrupted supply chains.

Diabetes mellitus remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. So type 1 diabetes (insulin-dependent) is characterized by insufficient insulin production and requires daily insulin administration. The cause of its occurrence and the means of prevention are unknown. In type 2 (non-insulin dependent) diabetes, the body produces insulin but cannot use it properly. It can be prevented or delayed through healthy eating, regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy body weight, and quitting tobacco use.

In 2022, the world will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin by scientists at the University of Toronto, F. McLeod and J. Bunting, for which they were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. In this regard, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the Global Diabetes Pact initiative to accelerate action on diabetes prevention and treatment for all people with diabetes.