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Build more diabetes health centers- Diabetes activist

A Lusaka based Diabetes advocate has called on government to introduce more diabetes health centers in the country. A Lusaka based Diabetes advocate has called on government to introduce more diabetes health centers in the country.

Florence Banda, a youth who has survived with diabetes since 2004 said in order to reduce the cases of diabetes, government had to play a leading role by providing diabetes screening centers in various clinics in the country.

She explained that diabetes medicines in Zambia were expensive hence most people could not afford to buy them.

Miss Banda further called on government and relevant authorities to ensure that diabetes medicines are made available even to people who could not afford them.

Meanwhile, Ms Banda advised members of the public not to discriminate against people living with diabetes saying diabetes was a non-communicable health condition.

“It was not easy after having discovered that I was diabetic. I was diagnosed with Diabetes type 1, which is genetic although I do not know who else in my family has it… My friends left me simply because I had diabetes, but my family has been very supportive in all this,” she narrated.

Ms Banda said diabetes was not a health condition only for the rich and old people as perceived by many people.

She advised people to go for early diabetes screening and urged members of the public to stop discriminating against people living with diabetes.

And Chingwere Clinic Nursing Officer, Pauline Sikazwe told the Lusaka Star in an interview that diabetes was a health condition that could be controlled by taking medication as well as eating healthy foods.

She said any person can have diabetes regardless of being old or young, rich or poor.

“Diabetes is not only for rich or old people, these are just myths. Anyone can have diabetes, thus it is important that people eat the correct and healthy foods to avoid the condition,” she added.

Ms. Sikazwe has urged government to create more diabetes health centres and make available diabetes medicines to avoid deaths caused by diabetes.
 

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