Yemurai Machirori Features Correspondent
Despite the many effects of diabetes, currently, there is very little awareness about the disease in Zimbabwe. HIV/AIDS as well as cancer have all received much publicised attention not only in the medical field but also in the political field where various legislators have also argued for those diseases.

This is in contrast to the inconspicuousness assigned to diabetes, yet diabetes has emerged as a “silent killer”. Compounding this, the only form of advertisement and general awareness provided for diabetes can best be found in private doctor’s and specialist’s office, which are not accessible to the general public.

This implies that those who are actually exposed to information about diabetes are those who can afford and who visit private doctors and specialists. Therefore, diabetes remains a disease of the “wealthy” yet it is responsible for numerous deaths in both rural and urban areas because of poor publicity and public awareness. Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases characterised by high blood sugar (glucose) levels that results from insufficient insulin production and secretion. There are two types of diabetes mellitus: Type 1 – insulin dependent and controlled with the administration of insulin injections; and Type 2 – which is controlled with oral drugs and is non-insulin dependent.

The effects of diabetes include, but are not limited to, blindness, kidney failure and nerve damage leading to loss of limbs.

Diabetes is also an important factor in accelerating the hardening and narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis) which leads to strokes, coronary heart disease and other large blood vessel diseases. In most developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, Zimbabwe included, people are unaware of diabetes, its causes or its effects.

This is evidenced by the fact that approximately 10 percent of the entire population suffers from either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. In addition, insulin is often unavailable or unaffordable to the general public with clinics and health centres not having the equipment to actually measure/test blood-glucose levels at all. This means that very few people in the country may suffer from diabetes but are unable to actually know that they have diabetes, let alone be able to take self-controlling medicine for it.

As a result, many children, and adults, with diabetes die either before or soon after diagnosis. This general lack of awareness of diabetes, unavailability and unaffordability of insulin and economic pressures (which results in poor quality of life) leads to the development of devastating complications including blindness, heart attacks, and kidney failure. The existence of the Zimbabwe Diabetic Association is a positive step in trying to bring awareness of diabetes and providing a support structure to people living with diabetes in Zimbabwe.  This, however, is only a drop in the ocean compared to what is actually required to deal with the problem.

Therefore, one question which must be asked is: “Are we going to do something about this disease that is silently taking our next generation or are we going to let it continue claiming the lives of people in our country?”

It is interesting to note that if diabetes was an infectious disease, passed from one person to another, health officials and the government would say that the country would be in the midst of an epidemic.

But on the contrary, are we not in the midst of an epidemic if we consider that one in two people with diabetes do not know they have it?

Are we not in the midst of an epidemic if this “silent killer” is taking the country`s future generation without us realising it?

Statistics published by the International Diabetes Federation show that it is mostly children and teenagers who are getting diagnosed with diabetes, and even more alarming is the fact that diabetes is killing at least one person every 8 seconds.

Below are some of the main symptoms of undiagnosed diabetes:

passing urine more often than usual, especially at night

increased thirst

extreme tiredness

unexplained weight loss

genital itching or regular episodes of thrush

slow healing of cuts and wounds

blurred vision

In Type 1 diabetes the signs and symptoms are usually very obvious and develop very quickly, typically over a few weeks. The symptoms are quickly relieved once the diabetes is treated and under control.

  • Yemurai Machirori is an Ambassador for Diabetes in Zimbabwe (recognised as Young Leaders in Diabetes by the International Diabetes Federation)

You Might Also Like

Comments

Take our Survey

We value your opinion! Take a moment to complete our survey