I refer to the article ‘Teachers urged to give life-saving medication’ (The Sunday Times of Malta, August 17).

The Maltese Diabetes Association has been trying for years to address the situation in schools regarding children with diabetes. The association has stressed the importance of having a number of teachers at every school, who have followed a recognised first aid course, who will be able to give assistance to children with diabetes.

There is currently no one who can take responsibility and help students with diabetes in their daily needs – from monitoring to insulin injection.

Whenever there is the slightest doubt on the medical well-being of the student, however insignificant, the parents are called to school to take their son or daughter home.

Incidents of hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) have to be tackled immediately and cannot wait for assistance to come from outside the school.

If left untreated, they could lead to very serious consequences. Young children newly diagnosed with diabetes are facing situations where they cannot attend school because they are still unable to monitor or interpret the reading of their blood sugar.

Others who are capable of monitoring and self-injecting are sometimes faced with hurdles and inject in unacceptable places, like the common toilets. Schools should be given guidelines on how to deal with such cases and all schools should be in a position to cater for children with special needs. No school should stand out for its shortcomings.

The association has issued an educational folder on diabetes in children, giving the basic information needed by teachers who have children with diabetes in their care.

With the help and co-operation of Education Minister Evarist Bartolo, these folders will be distributed to all public and private schools, prior to the start of the next scholastic year.

Anyone who would like a copy and more information can contact the association on info@diabetesmalta.org. On a number of occasions, the association was asked by parents of children with diabetes to intervene on their behalf due to problems arising from the medical condition of their children.

The need to address the situation in schools is very urgent and a decision on whom and how to administer the medication must be taken for the benefit of our children.

Let us not procrastinate any longer before it is too late and we are faced with a serious incident, which could have lasting effects and which could otherwise have been avoided.