What you must know about diabetes

Every diabetic person can be considered as a soldier on the frontline of an everyday silent battle for their bodies. FILE PHOTO

What you need to know:

  • I commend the Ministry of Health for the efforts made to combat the disease. Nevertheless, my appeal to the government is to enforce more priority-based projects tackling non- communicable diseases in Uganda and support organisations working hand-in-hand to fight these diseases.

Diabetes is a chronic non-communicable disease, which is usually associated with uncontrolled blood sugars in the blood. A non-communicable disease can be described as a medical condition or disease that is non-infectious or non-transmissible from one person to another.

Every diabetic person can be considered as a soldier on the frontline of an everyday silent battle for their bodies. The different types of diabetes include:
Type 1/Diabetes Mellitus/Juvenile Diabetes, which occurs 95 per cent in children. Type 2/Diabetes Insipidus, which occurs 5 per cent in adults. The other is Gestational diabetes, which usually occurs in pregnant women.

According to specialists, the destruction of insulin producing cells in the pancreas, hormonal problems and familial (genetic) factors are the most common causes of the killer disease. Once uncontrolled, it can generate other complications such as blindness, prolonged dizziness, nerve damage, stroke and kidney problems. Diabetes has also been recognised as having the potential to shorten life expectancy of a victim by a third (33 per cent).

It also increases the risk of ischemic heart disease by three times and the risk of limb ischemia and leg amputations 15 times over. Adults with diabetes and high blood pressure or both are more likely to develop kidney disease. However, chronic kidney disease (CKD) is estimated to be more common in women than men.

Diabetes has over the years been associated with psychosocial problems, especially stigma. Affected individuals have carried a lot of stigma from people in the community, social circles, learning institutions and relatives which leads to depression. This is in no way helpful as it is scientifically recommended that diabetics shouldn’t be exposed to stress and tiring situations since these affect their blood sugar levels and shoot them into hyperglycemia stage (high blood sugar levels).

“As a type 1 diabetic, my experience has been both challenging and interesting because I have learnt a lot of things, especially about controlling my health. The most painful experience I have had during this journey is being a victim of diabetes stigma for the past six years, which nearly cost me my life, but I am thankful to God who enabled me overcome all this. I believe the reason why we are facing such challenges is because people in the community haven’t been adequately educated about the subject and how to handle diabetics. If they did, then maybe they wouldn’t carry too much bias or negativity towards diabetics.”

The fact is, diabetes doesn’t discriminate and anyone can have it. However, it can be managed and controlled if the right precautions are taken. I urge every individual out there to take an effort to carry out diabetes tests. All health professionals have the adequate knowledge to help individuals and families to manage diabetes.

I commend the Ministry of Health for the efforts made to combat the disease. Nevertheless, my appeal to the government is to enforce more priority-based projects tackling non- communicable diseases in Uganda and support organisations working hand-in-hand to fight these diseases.

Anita K Ninsiima,
[email protected]