Muscat – The Ministry of Health on Tuesday began providing insulin pumps and electronic sensor devices to monitor glucose in diabetic children, marking a notable advancement in paediatric diabetes care in the sultanate.

The initiative – spearheaded by the National Diabetes and Endocrine Centre – comes following a Royal Order of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik issued in February this year.

The Royal Order instructed a budgetary allocation for acquisition of these critical healthcare devices for Omani children under 18 years suffering from Type 1 diabetes. 

‘The state-of-the-art glucose monitoring sensors represent a leap forward in technology, offering precise control and management of diabetes symptoms and preventing the onset of severe complications,’ the ministry said.

It added that there is no perfect cure for Type 1 diabetes, but it can be controlled in children by restricting the occurrence of its serious complications. 

‘This is achieved through the use of advanced medical methods and technologies, which improves the quality of a patient’s life by enabling him or her to live more easily with the disease and participate in various activities in school and outside.’

In February, Dr Hilal bin Ali al Sabti, Minister of Health, said the Royal Order reflected His Majesty the Sultan’s ongoing commitment to elevating the standard of comprehensive healthcare for citizens. 

“This initiative significantly eases the daily challenges faced by children with Type 1 diabetes, ensuring a smoother coexistence with the condition and reducing the risk of life-threatening incidents caused by extreme blood sugar levels,” Dr Sabti stated.

Introduction of electronic sensors and insulin pumps is heralded as a transformative step for better management of diabetes in children.