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LESSONS FROM THE FIRST AFRICAN DIABETES CONGRESS FIRST
SCIENTIFIC SESSION ARUSHA-
TANZANIA
The first African Diabetes Congress that was much expected
has eventually come and gone. There is however, a message that was conveyed to
everyone who came, that Africa needs to move
forward in area of health needs and policy formulation to cater for those
living with chronic complications like Diabetes and other NCDs.
Area of advocacy,
foot disease management, Education, accessories amongst other needs are lacking
in Africa. Though there are efforts from the
East/South African block which must be commended, other zones needs to
integrate health systems to deliver on managing these conditions.
At the Congress, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF)
presented the noble work it does with other partners to project Diabetes
Education which is a rudiment of Diabetes Self management practice. The IDF use
of Diabetes Conversation Map Education tool in most African Countries has
brought revolution in Diabetes Education and they must be commended and
supported especially by Ministries of Health of different Countries of Africa.
One of the main issue that was left unaddressed or will I
say left aside but important is the issue of FUNDING. Why did everyone shy away from this issue? Though at the
sidelines of different committee work and presentation, we all know Funding is
an important ingredient to drive the change in Diabetes management and care for
people living with Diabetes.
The most emotional part of the Congress was when Children
with Type 1 Diabetes from across Africa and
beyond presented a song “WE ARE THE WORLD”. The Whole Crowd including the vice
President of the Republic of Tanzania Dr M. Bilal, saw clearly the damage
Diabetes has caused and it is still on
the move as you read this article, with 4.6 million persons loosing their lives
yearly.
With all these challenges, what should be done must be
collective for synergy is a requirement in managing a chronic disorder. The
Government of Countries in Africa must look
inward to see how their health Ministries can use the power of synergy to
collaborate with NGO’s working in area of Diabetes to help build capacity
within the health system. Standardization of care with use of treatment
guidelines and support of research and outreach programs integrated into
primary care centers.
The plight of children living with type1Diabetes is a matter
of urgent attention by everybody. Those who can sponsor with their resources or
donate time to help control the menace diabetes is causing the little children,
who must be on daily insulin usage for the rest of their lives. The procurement
of these products is better imagine, costly, non availability, the list is long.
The obstacles to manage type1 diabetes are enormous.
This is to introduce a forth coming programme: “DIABETES YOUTH CAMP FOR CHILDREN LIVING
WITH DIABETES”. It will be a 3 day camp where children will be exposed to
professionals from across the globe. They will help the children to plan their
management of Diabetes. Self empowerment schemes will be taught as income
generation is important because the parents of these children cannot withstand
all it takes to control Diabetes. Hence if you are a young person living with
Diabetes between ages 2 to 20 years, you can send your nomination to iakogu@yahoo.com or nkiruoradiegwu@yahoo.com, (Nigeria)
to participate in this program.
The DIABETES YOUTH
CAMP program has been shown from research to impact a life time impression and
encouragement to any child. There is a feeling and state of readiness to take
control of Diabetes after the camp that most children leave with every day of
their lives, in the difficult challenges of making choices of healthy eating to
control the glucose level.
I am happy for the exposure most professionals who attended
the First scientific session of the African Diabetes Congress had to network
with one another. It is my desire and hope that the commitments to bring about
the change in Diabetes Care in Africa will be sustained with results when we
meet in Cameroon.
The Election of new officers to manage the affairs of IDF Africa region from
2013 was the height of it all. The new leadership is committed to move the
gains recorded forward.
The African Diabetes Congress is a wake up call on
Professionals and other organizations working around Diabetes to come together
and harmonize their effort and research. The Federal Ministries of health in Nigeria
needs to collaborate with NGO’s like Diabetes Association of Nigeria and others
working in similar area to roll out DIABETES
CONVERSATION MAP PROJECT to all parts of the Country and training of health
care Professionals on current dynamics in management of Diabetes in Children
and Adults.
Isaac Akogu
Pharmacist/Diabetes Educator
Conversation Map Expert Trainer
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