The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has launched Pakistan’s first comprehensive public-sector program for children living with Type 1 diabetes. The initiative will provide free insulin, specialist medical care, telemedicine services, digital patient monitoring and education for children and their families.
The three-year Juvenile Diabetes Control Program will be implemented by the KP Health Department in collaboration with the Pakistan Endocrine Society and private-sector partners. The program aims to improve early diagnosis, treatment and long-term management of Type 1 diabetes across the province.
As part of the initiative, around 500,000 schoolchildren and 200,000 patients visiting healthcare facilities throughout KP will be screened for diabetes. Health officials believe large-scale screening will help identify undiagnosed cases and ensure children receive timely treatment.
The program will also train 140 physicians and 560 paramedics in the early diagnosis and management of Type 1 diabetes. Authorities plan to register approximately 2,265 children with the condition, establish insulin banks, create a digital patient registry and expand access to specialist healthcare services.
The initiative will use the digital care model developed under the SMILE (Simplifying the Life of Type 1 Diabetic Kids) project, created by endocrinologist Dr. Syed Abbas Raza. The SMILE platform supports electronic patient registration, telemedicine consultations, digital medical records, diabetes education and long-term follow-up.
Dr. Syed Abbas Raza will also assist in training master trainers and healthcare professionals to improve early diagnosis and promote evidence-based treatment. Program Project Director Dr. Ibrar Ahmed said the initiative is designed to provide a complete system of care rather than focusing only on insulin availability.
Dr. Ahmed said children with Type 1 diabetes require much more than insulin, including regular monitoring, nutritional counselling, psychological support, diabetes education and lifelong specialist care. He added that the program brings all these services together under one coordinated healthcare system.
The initiative also includes standardized treatment protocols, structured education for patients and caregivers, and a digital registry to help health authorities monitor treatment outcomes and improve insulin procurement. Eligible children may also receive glucometers, test strips and continuous glucose monitoring devices, while peer-support groups will help families manage the lifelong condition. Officials believe the program could become a model for other provinces because no other public-sector initiative in Pakistan currently offers such a comprehensive approach to Type 1 diabetes care.
