TuDiabetes Live Interview with Merith Basey, the "100 Campaign"

Merith Basey, MSc

Merith’s introduction to global public health and Type 1 diabetes was via AYUDA in Quito, Ecuador, following her postgraduate studies on Latin America at La Universidad Complutense in Madrid. She went on to serve as AYUDA’s first Country Officer in Ecuador, later joining the headquarters in Washington DC as Global Program Director, where she was responsible for growing AYUDA’s country programs and strengthening local capacity in Ecuador, Bolivia, Dominican Republic and Belize.

Since 2012, Merith has also worked closely with the diabetes community in Haiti initially in support of the first diabetes education camp for young people with Type 1 diabetes. She is continually seeking ways to help strengthen the work of AYUDA’s partner FHADIMAC (www.fhadimac.org) on the ground.

As a result of almost a decade of witnessing the reality that many children and their families still do not have consistent access to insulin and other diabetes supplies, and disheartened by the lack of global action towards this; Merith and a small team of advocates with experience in diabetes communities in resource poor settings came together to launch the 100 Campaign, with the support of the International Insulin Foundation.

About the Campaign

The International Insulin Foundation (IIF) has been active in the area of Type 1 diabetes in the developing world for 10 years. On World Diabetes Day (November 14th) 2012, the IIF launched the “100 Campaign” with the goal of achieving 100% access to insulin by 2022, the 100th anniversary of insulin use to treat a person with Type 1 diabetes.

Access to Insulin:

While barriers to insulin access are most prominent in resource-poor countries, barriers also exist in other parts of the world. In developing countries the cost of insulin can consume as much as 25% of a family’s income. In the USA some uninsured individuals ration their insulin to save money, and end up in emergency rooms or with avoidable diabetes-related complications. The 100 Campaign was started as a means to address these and other issues related to barriers to insulin access.
Follow us at: facebook/100Campaign
@100Campaign
@100Campaign_esp (in Spanish)

Category: Nonprofits & Activism
Uploaded by: Diabetes Hands Foundation
Hosted: youtube