“Women and Diabetes, Our Right to a Healthy Future” World Diabetes Day 2017 in Cameroon“Women and Diabetes, Our Right to a Healthy Future” World Diabetes Day 2017 in Cameroon“Women and Diabetes, Our Right to a Healthy Future” World Diabetes Day 2017 in Cameroon“Women and Diabetes, Our Right to a Healthy Future” World Diabetes Day 2017 in Cameroon“Women and Diabetes, Our Right to a Healthy Future” World Diabetes Day 2017 in Cameroon“Women and Diabetes, Our Right to a Healthy Future” World Diabetes Day 2017 in Cameroon“Women and Diabetes, Our Right to a Healthy Future” World Diabetes Day 2017 in Cameroon

“Women and Diabetes, Our Right to a Healthy Future” World Diabetes Day 2017 in Cameroon

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herocameroon
July 26, 2017

Project Relevance and Need

  • The number of people with diabetes has risen from 108 million in 1980 to 422million in 2014 (WHO 2016 diabetes fact sheet).
  • It’s a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke and lower limb amputation.
  • An estimated 14.2million adults aged 20-79 in the African region have diabetes.(IDF,2015)
  • The African region has the highest proportion of undiagnosed diabetes; Over two thirds of people with diabetes are unaware they have the disease(IDF,2015).
  • The majority (58.8%) of people with diabetes live in the cities even though the population in the region is pre dominantly (61.3%) rural (IDF,2015).
  • As urbanization increases as well as the population age, diabetes will pose an ever growing threat (IDF,2015).
  • It is expected that by 2040, there will be 34.2million adults in the region living with diabetes (IDF,2015).
  • There are nearly half a million adults living with some form of diabetes in Cameroon (IDF,2013).

Objectives

  • Emphasize on the importance of screening to ensure early diagnosis and treatment of diabetes to reduce the risk of serious complications.
  • Identifying patients with diabetes requiring a nephrology consultation.
  • Improve knowledge on the effects of diabetes on the kidney.
  • Strengthening knowledge on nutritional aspects of diabetes

Date: 14th November 2017

Venue: Fundong District Hospital (FDH), Northwest Region Cameroon.

Summary of Events

The event started on Monday 13th November at 6pm prompt with a radio talk show on diabetes which was broadcasted across Boyo division in the northwest region. On Tuesday 14th November, the HERO team arrived at the Fundong District Hospital diabetic clinic at 8:30 am. After a brief introduction of the organization, questionnaires were administered to access the knowledge and self practices of people living with type 2 diabetes. Thereafter, a health talk was given on the following;

  • Signs and symptoms of type 2 diabetes.
  • Foot care in people living with type 2 diabetes.
  • The role of nutrition and physical exercise in the management of type 2 diabetes.
  • Diabetes and pregnancy.

After that, urinalysis was done to screen for the presence of white blood cells and or nitrites which are suggestive of a urinary tract infection and also to screen for the presence proteins which is suggestive of a diabetic
neuropathy.

Of the 45 patients screened, 6(13.3%) had urinary tract infections, while 2(4.4%) had proteins in urine. Those diagnosed with urinary tract infections were prescribed antibiotics while those with proteins in urine were strongly advised to see a nephrologist for further investigations and follow up. The event came to a close at 1pm with light refreshments and a couple of pictures.