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Tawanda Mangoma in Chiredzi
Traditional leaders in Masvingo have been challenged to ensure that their subjects undergo regular diabetes tests to reduce rising human fatalities as a result of the disease.

The call was made by Zimbabwe Diabetic Association Masvingo provincial chair Cde Edmore Veterai during the association’s free diabetes testing programme held at Mashoko Mission in Bikita recently.

The programme was organised by ZDA in partnership with the Lions Club.

Cde Veterai, who is also a Zanu-PF aspiring Member of Parliament for Bikita South, said regular diabetes tests enabled those with the disease to receive proper medication and live longer.

He decried the increasing number of people mainly in rural communities who were succumbing to the disease owing to lack of knowledge.

“Most people in Zimbabwe relate diabetes to the consumption of sugary products, which is wrong. In some cases we have hereditary victims of the disease while others get it mainly from eating habits.

“The excessive consumption of starch such as sadza is a major contributor to diabetes,” he said.

“You find that one eats sadza in the morning, afternoon and in the evening and this creates a conducive environment for the disease to develop.

“Our goal is to make sure that every villager fully understands diabetes so that they know how to manage their lives.’’

Cde Veterai said ZDA was targeting the rural population to close the existing information gap pertaining to health related issues.

“As ZDA, we have managed to bring a team of nine doctors here (Mashoko Mission) who specialise in treating diabetes and they will attend to villagers for free.’’

“They will be helping the people of Masvingo Province but with specific focus on rural dwellers who lack vital information about diabetes,” said Cde Veterai.

Head of the doctors’ delegation Dr Nyasha Mupangabuwe said rural people could also live longer with diabetes using locally available resources in their areas.

He discouraged consumption of refined foods saying they were unhealthy.

“Villagers can manage diabetes using resources available locally. They are even at an advantage since they have access to mealie meal made from rapoko, sorghum and millet.

“These are the foods, which keep a person healthy and help the body to acclimatise to the diabetic condition,” said Dr Mupangabuwe.

Fourteen football and netball teams drawn from Bikita South constituency took part in a tournament that ran concurrently with the free diabetes treatment programme where winners walked away with prizes, including cash sponsored by Cde Veterai.