The national program on the prevention and combating of sugar diabetes for 2011- 2015, approved by the Government on Wednesday, will be implemented at a cost of over 1 billion lei. Minister of Health Andrei Usatyi said that though the necessary sum is large, the money will be recouped, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to the minister, though the incidence of diabetes in Moldova is lower than in other European countries, the number of people suffering from this disease has increased considerably during the last few years, especially among persons younger than 40. Andrei Usatyi said that because the medical institutions do not have equipment for detecting the disease early, the complications are very serious. Many persons become invalids. Some die as a result of diabetic coma. The kidney diseases become more acute and the persons need transplantation. Under the program approved by the Government, the institutions of the heath system, the central and local authorities and the NGOs should join efforts to implement the prophylaxis measures, provide the patients with insulin and other medications and ensure access to medical services of a high quality. Special attention should be devoted to informing the people about the risk factors that lead to disease and to combating the related risks. A part of the money will be allocated from the state budget and the mandatory health insurance funds, while 87 million lei will be attracted from foreign donors. There are about 60,000 persons suffering from sugar diabetes in Moldova, according to the Ministry of Health.