A plan to tackle the hidden nature of diabetes detection has been denied funding for the third year in a row, a meeting of the Southern Health Board has heard.
Some 166 TDs have been offered free diabetes screening in the last three months in an effort to raise awareness of the the disease, "but the rest of the country has to wait",Labour TD Ms Kathleen Lynch said at a Southern Health Board meeting in Tralee.
"Two to three months ago a whole team tested TDs. This is the kind of spin you have to fight against.
"People out there are losing toes," she said.
She was speaking in response to the Department of Health's refusal to fund a plan for integrated care for diabetic patients presented annually by the health board since 2001.
The Diabetic Patients' Plan was compiled by Dr Elizabeth Keane, the director of Public Health in Cork and Kerry.
It was based on research among general practitioners, hospitals, public health and community services, and included guidelines on screening measures.
Diabetes which went undetected could result in amputations, heart disease and renal failure and it was "the most common cause of blindness in Ireland", said Dr Catherine Molloy, vice-chairman of the board.
She said it did not make sense to turn down a comprehensive screening and integrated care plan which would save much more money than was spent when an undetected patient presented for acute treatment.
"I am quite amazed by any sensible person in the department could look at that report and not provide any money for it," she said.
The Southern Health Board will now be writing to the Department asking for an explanation as to why its plan was not funded.