Like the international community, Senegal celebrated Diabetes Day yesterday, Thursday, November 14, in Dakar, at the Abass Ndao health center, and in other parts of the country. Opportunity taken by patients to strengthen advocacy on the management of this very expensive disease.
Diabetes is gaining ground in the country. The number of cases continues to grow, according to the Senegalese Diabetic Support Association (Assad). With expensive care, consisting of medications, analyzes and care, many diabetics have difficulty correctly following the treatment recommended by their doctor. Before the authorities of the Ministry of Health and Social Action, these patients pleaded, yesterday Thursday, for free this care or even the reduction of certain medical procedures.
For Baye Omar Guèye, president of Assad, diabetics face two things in treatment. These are the availability of medicines and the challenge of quality of care. A situation which leads him to appeal to the Senegalese for their involvement in prevention, which remains the key word. “Prevent for three reasons: the first is primary prevention; the second, it is secondary for diabetes who must avoid complications and, finally, we must avoid diabetes for those who do not have it, postpone it as much as possible…”.
Returning to the theme, “Diabetes and well-being», Mr. Guèye reported that 63% of diabetics are stressed about seeing themselves develop complications attributable to the disease, 28% are afraid of being affected by this pandemic. But the interesting thing is the fear of this unhappiness. “Diabetics can live a long time with the disease and be in good health. The one and only reason is that he respects his diet. The association supports diabetics, it takes up a challenge which is the monitoring of treatment, awareness, but also social support. declared Baye Omar Guèye.
And to add : “80% of diabetics come from poor families. And, with a disease that is excessively expensive, it is difficult to meet the challenges, especially of correctly following its treatment. This is why this aspect of development must be taken into account by opinion leaders.
At the level of the Ministry of Health and Social Action, the Secretary General of the said department, Serigne Mbaye, said he was listening to people living with diabetes in order to convey their concerns to the Minister of Health.
Denise ZAROUR MEDANG
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