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Government & NGO Programmes for Free or Subsidised Insulin

Government schemes, dedicated T1D clinics, and NGOs providing free insulin or T1D support in India, organized by region (North / South / East / West).

Last updated: 2026-08-04

Compiled from public news reports, journal articles, and government announcements as of August 2026, plus one field-verified note from a user working in Punjab local governance. Scheme status, eligibility, and availability can change quickly and vary by district — verify locally (CHC/govt hospital/NHM office) before relying on any entry. Not medical advice.

National Framework

Government Scheme

Guidance Document on Diabetes Mellitus in Children (Union Health Ministry)

Pan-India, tiered rollout (community health centres → district hospitals → medical colleges)

India's first national framework for childhood diabetes (0-18 years), covering universal school/community-based screening, free diagnostics, lifelong insulin therapy, and monitoring devices. Introduces the '4Ts' awareness campaign (Toilet, Thirsty, Tired, Thinner) to help parents/teachers recognize early T1D warning signs.

Insulin / support provided
Free lifelong insulin therapy as part of the standard care package
Status
Launched ~May 2026 — new, so on-ground implementation pace will vary significantly by state/district

North India

Punjab

Government Scheme

Regular insulin supply via CHCs & Government Hospitals

Statewide (district CHCs and government hospitals, incl. Amritsar district)

Community Health Centres (CHCs) and government hospitals across Punjab regularly stock and dispense insulin to registered diabetic patients, including Type 1 diabetics, as part of routine essential-medicine supply rather than a separately branded scheme.

Eligibility
Patient must be registered/diagnosed at the CHC or government hospital; no separate application process reported
Insulin / support provided
Not separately specified — typically human insulin via routine NHM essential drug supply chain; analog insulin availability varies by facility
Status
Active (ongoing routine supply)
Source: User-reported / on-ground field knowledge (PMIDC, Amritsar District ULB governance work) — no dedicated public scheme portal or press release identified independently; recommend confirming exact insulin brands/types with the specific CHC or Civil Surgeon office

Himachal Pradesh

Government Scheme

NHM Free Insulin Pump Initiative

RPGMC Tanda (Kangra district); also reported in Mandi district

State government, in collaboration with the Central Government under the National Health Mission, provides free insulin pumps (not just insulin vials) to children and youth with Type 1 diabetes.

Eligibility
Children and youth up to 27 years of age
Insulin / support provided
Insulin pump devices (delivery device, not a specific insulin brand)
Status
Active — first batch of 8 patients received pumps at Tanda, April 2026

Delhi (NCT)

Clinic

AIIMS Delhi — Free Insulin for OPD Patients

AIIMS New Delhi, Amrit Pharmacy counters near Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur OPD

Any patient prescribed insulin through an AIIMS OPD can collect free insulin vials, with cold-chain guidance (ice packs) for patients traveling long distances. Not exclusively for T1D, but covers T1D patients prescribed insulin.

Eligibility
Prescribed insulin by an AIIMS OPD physician; economically weaker patients prioritized
Insulin / support provided
Insulin vials, dispensed for 1 month initially (extendable to 2-3 months)
Status
Active

South India

Karnataka

Government Scheme

Free Insulin Scheme for Children (announced, Karnataka state budget)

Statewide, via government hospitals

Health Department scheme to supply free insulin to children under 18 with Type 1 diabetes at government hospitals.

Eligibility
Children under 18 with Type 1 diabetes
Insulin / support provided
Not specified in reports
Status
Announced (~March 2026) but reported as NOT YET IMPLEMENTED as of July 2026 — opposition alleged 7,000+ children still waiting due to tender delays at Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation Ltd (KSMSCL)
Clinic

Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (IGICH)

Bengaluru

Government hospital treating ~700 registered T1D children. Currently free insulin is provided only to admitted (inpatient) cases via govt supply; OPD patients rely on NGO/company sponsorship.

Eligibility
Registered T1D patients; all 700 currently sponsored by NGOs/companies, not government
Insulin / support provided
Varies by sponsor
Status
Active but supply-constrained; described by doctors as not sustainable long-term
Clinic

Karnataka Institute of Endocrinology and Research (KIER)

Bengaluru

Registered ~1,200 T1D children; ~40% receive NGO/company sponsorship for insulin, rest buy out-of-pocket. Free insulin currently limited to admitted patients only.

Eligibility
Registered T1D patients
Insulin / support provided
Varies by sponsor
Status
Active but supply-constrained

Tamil Nadu

Government Scheme

T1D Care Centres — National Health Mission Tamil Nadu

Chennai + 6 more districts: Salem, Thanjavur, Tiruchy, Tirunelveli, Tiruvarur, Dharmapuri (government medical college hospitals)

End-to-end free care for children with T1D — treatment, medical support, education, counselling — delivered via government medical college hospitals. NHM-TN is also drafting a statewide SOP to standardize treatment protocols. Partnered with Coimbatore-based Idhayangal Trust.

Eligibility
Children registered at participating government hospitals; 2,600+ registered statewide as of mid-2025
Insulin / support provided
Not specified in reports
Status
Active, expanding (phase-wise rollout)
Government Scheme

Tamil Nadu Type 1 Diabetes Registry

Statewide

Registry compiling data (incl. ICMR research cohorts) to understand T1D prevalence, support needs, and inform policy; launched alongside free-treatment commitment.

Eligibility
N/A (data/policy initiative)
Insulin / support provided
N/A
Status
Active
NGO

Tamil Nadu Type 1 Diabetes Foundation (TNT)

8+ cities across Tamil Nadu

Volunteer-driven non-profit providing education, emotional support, and advocacy for T1D families (not direct insulin distribution).

Eligibility
Open to T1D families
Insulin / support provided
N/A — support/advocacy only
Status
Active, 800+ member families since 2018

Kerala

Government Scheme

Mittayi Project (Kerala Social Security Mission)

Statewide — satellite centres in Govt Medical Colleges/District Hospitals across all districts (incl. Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Kannur, Ernakulam, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Idukki, Palakkad, Malappuram, Wayanad, Kasargod)

Free comprehensive T1D care: early diagnosis, insulin therapy, glucometers/CGM, insulin pumps, nutritional management, and monitoring, implemented since 2018 under the Social Justice Department with Health & Family Welfare Dept support.

Eligibility
Under 18 years old AND family annual income below ₹2 lakh (income cap has excluded an estimated 1,200+ children; advocacy ongoing to remove/raise the cap)
Insulin / support provided
Insulin therapy + insulin pumps + CGM devices
Status
Active, expanded to all districts since 2022

Telangana

Clinic

Centre of Excellence, Gandhi Hospital, Secunderabad (Dept. of Endocrinology)

Secunderabad

Provides a full month's supply of both rapid-acting (Novorapid/Fiasp) and long-acting (Tresiba) analog insulin, plus family education on correct insulin administration. First visit can take a few hours.

Eligibility
Registered T1D patients at the centre
Insulin / support provided
Analog insulin — Novorapid/Fiasp (rapid) + Tresiba (long-acting)
Status
Active since September 2022

East India

West Bengal

Government Scheme

Integrated Care for Type 1 Diabetes — West Bengal Model

District hospitals statewide (pilot districts first, scaling up)

Dedicated weekly T1DM clinics run inside existing NCD (Non-Communicable Disease) clinics at district hospitals under NHM infrastructure. Provides free insulin, glucose monitoring devices, test strips, lancets, growth monitoring, lab investigations, and monthly follow-up.

Eligibility
Children, adolescents, and young adults with T1DM registered at district hospital T1DM clinics
Insulin / support provided
Both human regular insulin and glargine (long-acting analog) insulin
Status
Active, piloted then scaled statewide

Odisha / Bihar / Jharkhand

Government Scheme

No dedicated state scheme identified

N/A

No specific state-run free insulin or dedicated T1D clinic program was found for Odisha, Bihar, or Jharkhand in available sources. These states would fall under the new national childhood diabetes framework (see National section below) once implemented locally.

Eligibility
N/A
Insulin / support provided
N/A
Status
Not found / needs local verification

West India

Maharashtra

Clinic

DREAM Trust (Diabetes Research Education and Management Trust)

Nagpur

Charitable organization offering free insulin and comprehensive healthcare to children and youth with T1D in a resource-limited, central India setting.

Eligibility
Children/youth diagnosed with T1D under 16 at enrollment, followed for 1+ year
Insulin / support provided
Not specified in study abstract
Status
Active (long-running model of care)
NGO

CDiC — Diabetes education camp, KEM Hospital Mumbai

Mumbai

One of the Changing Diabetes in Children (CDiC) program's partner centres in Maharashtra running education camps and care support.

Eligibility
Enrolled CDiC beneficiaries
Insulin / support provided
Free insulin as part of CDiC program (see Pan-India NGO section)
Status
Active

Goa & Uttarakhand

Government Scheme

State hospital insulin supply (analog insulin)

State government hospitals

Referenced in a cost-guide source as states that supply costlier analogue insulins (e.g., Novorapid) free of cost, beyond the older generic human insulin most states provide. Could not independently verify an official scheme name or portal — treat as a lead to confirm locally.

Eligibility
Not specified
Insulin / support provided
Analog insulin (e.g., Novorapid) reportedly free, in addition to generic human insulin
Status
Unverified — needs confirmation with state health department

Pan-India NGOs & Programmes

NGO

CDiC — Changing Diabetes in Children (Novo Nordisk Education Foundation)

Multiple centres across India (part of a 9-country global program)

Provides insulin, medication access, diagnostics, monitoring, consultations, and patient education camps for children with T1D from low-income families. 4,000+ children enrolled in India at time of program review.

Eligibility
Children below poverty line with T1D, enrolled through partner hospitals
Insulin / support provided
Free insulin as core program component
Status
Active since September 2011
NGO

Udaan Kids

India-wide (started via village-level outreach)

Full free-care ecosystem for T1D children: insulin, monitoring, education support, mentorship programs for partner NGOs/clinics.

Eligibility
Children with T1D from low-resource families
Insulin / support provided
Free insulin and related supplies
Status
Active since ~2000; 1,200+ families supported
NGO

Idhayangal Charitable Trust

Coimbatore, partners with Tamil Nadu govt T1D centres

Provides free insulin, test strips, and pumps; works in a government-NGO-industry partnership model.

Eligibility
T1D patients referred via partner government hospitals
Insulin / support provided
Free insulin, test strips, pumps
Status
Active

Know a programme that should be listed here, or spotted something out of date? Please write to us at hello@t1daware.in so we can keep this directory accurate for families across India.

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