When South Africans with diabetes know what they’re entitled to ask for, they can take charge of their own health!
South Africa (30 September 2025) – The first step in managing your health, regardless of what it is your body is battling, is knowing your rights and what you have access to. People living with diabetes in South Africa, for example, have rights to three main benefits, free of charge. Did you know that?
If you didn’t, stick around. We’re about to unpack it all, thanks to a collaboration between The Sweet Life Diabetes Community and the National Department of Health.
They are on a mission to ensure South Africans living with diabetes understand their rights and what they have access to, in a way that’s understandable and easy to digest.
“Diabetes is a 24/7/365 condition. If you’re lucky, you get to see a doctor for 2 hours a year – the other 8,758 hours you’re taking responsibility for managing your diabetes. So it’s essential that you have the tools you need to manage your condition. One of the most critical tools is the right supplies: medication, testing strips and annual screenings,” says Bridget McNulty, CEO and co-founder of Sweet Life Diabetes Community.
The sad thing is that many people living with diabetes in SA don’t know that access to these benefits can be gained at their public clinic or hospital.
That is why this collaboration is needed. They created an infographic that can be used and referenced when people living with diabetes visit the hospital or clinic to claim their benefits. Sounds simple, but it bridges a gap in understanding between people living with the chronic disease and the care they need.
“Critically, we worked with the National Department of Health to develop these diabetes rights, so that anyone accessing their care in the public sector is empowered to ask their clinic sister or doctor for the rights detailed on this pamphlet….”
The infographic (which we’ll share below) clearly unpacks every diabetes right granted to South Africans living with the chronic disease. When you know what to ask for, it becomes easier to take charge of your own health.
“Diabetes rights are non-negotiable,” says Prof. Joel Dave, head of endocrinology at Groote Schuur and UCT, and a key collaborator in the project. “Know them, defend them, strive for equal access, reject stigma.”
You can also find these details here.
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