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In the current flow of reports about diseases or large-scale problems, diabetes is often mistakenly forgotten, says doctor Marguerite De Clerck. However, it is one of the largest causes of death worldwide. High time to step up the fight against diabetes.
In Flanders alone, according to the Diabetes Liga, an estimated 500,000 people live with diabetes (type 1 or 2), or almost one in ten adults. Worldwide it is even one of the biggest causes of death, yes the disease makes more victims than COVID-19. And in Africa, too, the number of cases is rising very quickly, the World Health Organization (WHO) expects 41 million people on the continent to develop diabetes by 2045.
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-I have been interested for fifty years, feel free to say passionate about this disease. Then I often got the comment: “You are wasting your time and energy, it is an incurable disease, people who suffer from it will die anyway.” Fortunately, a lot has changed since then. Diabetes, unfortunately, still kills, but with the right care and effort, a diabetic patient can live a normal life for years to come.
Diabetes, unfortunately, still kills, but with the right care and effort, a diabetic patient can live a normal life for years to come.
But why is it that diabetes remains an underexposed disease in the South? That major campaigns and programs focus on malaria and HIV / AIDS, while diabetes remains under the radar?
There are various reasons for this. What certainly plays a role is the fact that major donors sometimes dare to forget that Africa is not so different from the other continents. That there too, chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and therefore diabetes, are making countless victims.
But I also come to a somewhat cynical conclusion. Diabetes is simply not a communicable disease. When AIDS emerged, there was great excitement and interest. The so-called developed countries felt threatened and huge budgets were released. Western countries were (and are) afraid that if they leave AIDS untouched, the current stagnation will soon give way to a new epidemic with many HIV infections. So I think self-interest is a factor.
Of course, it is a good thing that huge amounts of money are being used for the AIDS problem, that effective programs have ensured that the smallpox virus could be eradicated and that more and more children can sleep under a malaria net. But it doesn’t seem to get through that the number of victims of chronic diseases such as diabetes is also continuing to increase and is bringing alarming mortality rates.
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-Let’s go back to the context I know best: DR Congo. Research by the Congolese Ministry of Health shows that 7 percent of Congolese have diabetes. It is frustrating to see diabetic patients in hospitals and health centers with perfectly preventable complications such as pedestrian gangrene or treatable hypertension leading to a haemorrhagic stroke.
It does not seem to realize that the number of victims of chronic diseases such as diabetes continues to increase.
Although it is not the case that nothing is done against diabetes. Especially in the capital Kinshasa progress is being made. Within the framework of the National Program, well-trained teams ensure that adapted care for diabetes patients is accessible to patients both financially and geographically. The specific program for young people, for example, has the valuable support of the NGO Memisa. But more structural assistance is needed to extend this approach across the country.
Because again diabetes doesn’t have to be deadly at all. Provided that it is recognized and treated quickly, complications and hospital admissions (and unnecessary costs) can be prevented.
But of course resources are needed for this. International programs that focus massively on AIDS are laudable. But let’s look beyond the so-called classical diseases, which are very media-genic. We must evolve towards a primary health care system that takes care of patients with all kinds of health problems. Ranging from infectious diseases to chronic diseases to traffic accidents and mental illness. Because patients who are not contagious also deserve our support.
Marguerite De Clerck is doctor and nurse who, together with Congolese colleagues, set up a network of a hospital and 80 health centers offering diabetes care.
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