The Sunday Mail
While Government’s contribution and efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS is remarkable and should be commended, it is high time equal if not more attention was given to other ailments and diseases such as cancer and diabetes.
According to research by the World Health Organisation Ischaemic heart disease, stroke, lower respiratory infections and chronic obstructive lung disease were the major killers during the past decade.
HIV deaths decreased slightly from 1,7 million (3,2 percent) deaths in 2000 to 1.5 million (2,7 percent) deaths in 2012. These statistics have remained stagnant the last two years with decreased HIV deaths largely due to Government efforts in creating awareness, reducing stigmatisation and early detection.
It is reported that chronic diseases are responsible for the increase in the number of deaths worldwide as lung cancers (along with trachea and bronchus cancers) are causing 1.6 million (2,9 percent) deaths. However, diabetes has closely crept up the ladder, and by 2012 it had caused 1,5 million (2,7 percent) deaths of the world’s population.
Today non-communicable diseases are responsible for 68 percent of all deaths globally and the four main types are cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes and chronic lung diseases.
At least 160 000 people living in Zimbabwe run the high risk of having their heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves destroyed as 32 percentage of the country’s population is believed to be suffering from diabetes.
The majority of these people range between the ages of 40 and 59 and the alarming part is that only a fraction of the actual number knows they suffer from diabetes.
Zimbabwe Diabetic Association reports that the 160 000 people could be half of the total diabetic population as only 50 percent of diabetic people are aware of their condition.
But what does it mean to be diabetic and how are diabetic people exposed to life-threatening conditions?
Diabetes is defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces.
Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar and being diabetic means the blood sugar levels will be abnormally high causing several health problems.
One expert in the area, Chief Executive Officer of Zimbabwe Diabetic Association Mr Ngoni Chingwana suggests that the late diagnosis of diabetes can lead to catastrophic and paralysis of the white blood cells (suppressed immune system).
“Blood that is heavy with sugar over a long period of time can destroy fine nerves and capillaries,” Mr Chingwana said.
“Having such a condition in the blood system will eventually cause cholesterol levels to rise resulting in white blood corpuscles which fight infection to be paralysed.
“Such changes increase chances of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks and stroke because eyes, kidneys and artillery veins are the most affected.”
He said one percent of global blindness can be attributed to diabetes as small blood vessels in the retina can be damaged by high blood sugar levels.
Mr Chingwana added: “The effect of having high sugar levels in blood may also damage the nervous system.”
On the other hand, the WHO suggests that damaged nerves and blood vessels can lead to reduced blood flow in the feet which increases the chance of foot ulcers.
When blood flow is reduced to any part of the body, health experts say the organ should be removed and in the diabetes case, the limp will require amputation.
Foot ulcers are open sores on a foot that are slow to heal because of poor blood circulation, often associated with nerve damage.
It is further reported that cardiovascular diseases (primary heart disease and stroke) are responsible for 50 percent of diabetes death.
On the other hand, diabetes is among the leading causes of kidney failure and diabetic people have the overall risk of dying from kidney failure compared to others.
According to the National Institutes of Health researches in Zimbabwe, between 20 to 75 percent of men with diabetes experience ED.
ED refers to a man’s inability to sustain an erection which is sufficient for sexual intercourse.
This is mainly because of damaged blood vessels that result in the low blood inflow of blood to the male sexual organ leading to ED.
Diabetes also has a direct effect on male fertility because it can cause DNA damage in sperm as described by the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology.
Research from the Diabetes Global community shows that diabetes may lead to sexual response problems in females as they can fail to lubricate.
The research further revealed that diabetic women have high chances of developing bladder problems and urinary trek infections.
National Aids Council Monitoring and Evaluation manager Mr Amon Mpofu said: “Dry intimacy causes cuts and bruises in the female reproductive track and this can pave way for the virus to penetrate.”
Diabetic women are at risk of being infected and re-infected by fungi infections that cause vaginal thrush because diabetes can suppress their immune system.
However, these effects can be avoided if people eat healthy foods, exercise, avoid being obese, smoking and heavy drinking.
Local general practitioners urge people above 40 years to get blood glucose test every three months in order to seek early treatment.
On the other hand, there are common signs and symptoms that can manifest when one is diabetic: weight loss, frequent urination (polyuria), in younger children bedwetting, excessive thirst and unusual tiredness.
Doctors from Mayo Clinic said diabetes can cause one to be excessively hungry frequently, can lead to a blurred vision, mood changes, skin infections, oral or vaginal thrush and abdominal pain.
“Severe symptoms may include frequent vomiting and acute abdominal pain, flushed cheeks, acetone smell on breath, dehydration with frequent urination, decreased level of consciousness, deep, rapid sighing and lastly shock or coma,” Mayo Clinic’s Diabetic hypoglycaemia report highlights.
Diabetes can be treated completely but it can be controlled by the use of insulin injection. Over 382 million people are living with diabetes worldwide as of 2013 and 80 percent of these people are located in low- or middle-income countries as reported by the International Diabetes Federation Atlas.
In Zimbabwe, the Ministry of Health and Child Care’s recent survey (2005) indicates that at least 160 000 people (10 percent of the national population) are diabetic.
There are two types of diabetes namely type 1 and type 2 diabetics.
Type 1 diabetes usually develops from childhood and is characterized by a lack of insulin production, while type 2 usually develops in adults where their bodies fail to effectively use insulin.
International Diabetes Federation suggests that five to 10 percent of diabetic people have type 1 while 90 to 95 percent fall under diabetes type 2.
