Diabetes in Ukraine: new national screening for people 40+ starting in 2026.

On World Diabetes Day, there are over 1.3 million people with this chronic disease in Ukraine. Diabetes is a condition where the body is unable to properly use or produce insulin - the hormone that controls blood glucose levels.

Since the beginning of 2025, this diagnosis has been established in nearly 191 thousand Ukrainians, while last year this figure was 260 thousand 242 patients. The most common is type 2 diabetes, which affects over 1.26 million Ukrainians. Type 1 diabetes has been detected in more than 190 thousand people.

In the last two years, the National Health Service of Ukraine has reimbursed pharmacies over 2.6 billion hryvnias for insulins, which is five times more than in 2021. The number of test strips provided to type 1 diabetes patients has also increased almost 20 times.

Early Detection and Prevention

About half of people with diabetes are even unaware of their condition. To detect the disease at an early stage, starting in 2026, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine will launch the National Health Screening 40+, which will allow for the detection of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes in individuals over 40 years old.

Learn more about the signs of diabetes, prevention, and access to 'Affordable Medicines' - link

This news highlights that over 1.3 million people in Ukraine live with diabetes, a significant portion of whom are unaware of their condition. The Ministry of Health is implementing a new program for early detection of the disease in people aged 40 and older. It is also noted that there has been an increase in diagnosed cases of diabetes and allocated funds for treatment.

The article discusses a serious problem that many Ukrainians face, as well as initiatives to address it. Understanding the scale of diabetes and measures for early detection can significantly enhance the effectiveness of combating this disease. The implemented screening will be an important step towards improving diagnostics and prevention in both diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in this age group.