The Polish Diabetes Association and the Forum of Diabetes Experts are speaking out on the use of funds from the sugar levy in 2024. Although this is the first time the National Health Fund has published a detailed breakdown of expenditures, as the patient community emphasizes, there is still no coherent strategy, transparency and purposeful use of the funds, which are intended to improve the health of Poles.
Patients wait for results, or how we use the sugar charge....
Published June 3, 2025 08:19
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The National Health Fund has prepared a report on the use of funds from the sugar levy in 2024.
The sugar levy and its use have again become the subject of public debate - this time due to the results of an audit conducted by the Supreme Audit Institution. The Supreme Audit Institution pointed to inefficiencies in spending, a failure to treat the fee as an additional source of funding, and significant reporting deficiencies.
2024 - a step in the right direction, but more is needed
According to data provided by the National Health Fund, revenues from the sugar levy in 2023 amounted to PLN 1,440,489,692.77. For the first time, the Fund detailed which interventions these funds were used for - which should be seen as a step toward greater transparency. However, this is still not enough. This change, while important, is only a minor element among many necessary reforms. Among the most urgent demands of the patient and expert communities, we mention:
- Optimize spending - for example, reducing funding for glucose meter strips from the sugar levy and at the same time expanding access to modern blood glucose monitoring methods. In the long run, this can bring real savings and improve the quality of treatment.
- Funding new services - funds from the sugar levy must not replace funds from the health premium. They should support new initiatives in line with the goals of the Public Health Law, such as the prevention of lifestyle diseases and health education.
- Allocation planning - systemic planning of expenditures in the perspective of subsequent years is necessary. We propose the creation of a working team under the Minister of Health responsible for recommendations on directional spending.
- Purposeful targeting of funds - it is crucial that funds are "marked" and used for their original purpose. This includes education, prevention, as well as access to modern therapies and treatment of diabetes complications - particularly diabetic foot and cardiovascular and renal complications.
Let's not change the tax before we improve the system
Proposals to expand the scope of the sugar fee - both to new product groups and in terms of its amount - are becoming increasingly common. The Polish Diabetes Association and the Forum of Diabetes Experts, as an organization representing patients with diabetes, support any measures to improve their situation. However, they take the position that before any decision is made to expand the tax, there should be greater transparency and efficiency in the management of the already existing instrument.
We believe that the results and recommendations of the NIK audit will result in solutions that will translate into real changes for the Polish patient, raise the credibility of this instrument and systematize the management of funds - the Polish Diabetes Association and the Forum of Experts on Diabetes.
Source: press mat.
