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Health Reporter

Zimbabwe today joins the world in commemorating World Diabetes Day to raise awareness of the disease as a global public health issue.

The day seeks to raise awareness on measures that need to be taken for better prevention, diagnosis and management of the condition.

Diabetes is a chronic, metabolic disease characterised by elevated levels of blood glucose (or blood sugar), which leads over time to serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves.

In Zimbabwe, it is estimated that at least 10 percent of the adult population is living with diabetes mellitus.

However, 50 percent of these people are not aware of their condition.

Most of those who have been diagnosed also struggle to access drugs and insulin injections which are expensive.

During this year’s commemorations of World Diabetes Day, the World Health Organisation and its partners are taking the opportunity to highlight the huge gap between the people who need access to insulin to control their diabetes, as well as essential technologies such as blood glucose meters and test strips, and those who actually have access.