At a time of unprecedented national action to confront communicable and non-communicable diseases, the government of Cameroon has taken firm decisions to tackle diabetes including a drastic reduction in the price of insulin. This was disclosed yesterday November 14 by the Minister of Public Health, André Mama Fouda, as he presided over activities to commemorate the 21st World Diabetes Day at the Cité-Verte District Hospital in Yaounde.
Organising activities on the theme “React Now Against Diabetes”, the Minister of Public Health said the day is an opportunity to raise awareness and to show people living with diabetes that the international community stands with them in their struggle. This is especially important for the 277 million people with diabetes who live in developing countries amongst which 415,300 aged between 20 and 79 years are living in Cameroon. While noting that too often the disease hits the poorest with a prevalence rate of six per cent in the country, leading to heart attacks, strokes, blindness, limb amputations, kidney failure and premature death, André Mama Fouda said the government has outlined strategies which does not only assist those suffering from diabetes but also help prevent the disease.
Through a convention signed between the Ministry Public Health and different drug manufacturers, there has been a significant drop in the cost of insulin which is the main diabetes drug used in regulating sugar in the bloodstream. Insulin which was sold at FCFA 14,000 is now sold at FCFA 3,000 to patients. This is for adults suffering from diabetes. Although there is limited information about the number of children living with Type One Diabetes in Cameroon, the management and care given to children suffering from the diabetes in the country is free. The Ministry of Public Health has signed a convention with Novo Nordisk through a programme “Changing Diabetes in Children” which aims at improving the conditions for children with diabetes. Novo Nordisk is providing insulin free-of-charge to all children and adolescents up to the age of 18 years until 2015.
A diabetes specialist at the Yaounde Central Hospital, Dr Mesmin Dehayem explained that through the “Changing Diabetes In Children Programme” which started in 2010, five clinics have been created and equipped to freely take care of children living with diabetes. These clinics, which are the Endocrine and Diabetes Service of the Yaounde Central Hospital, the Endocrine and Diabetes Unit of Douala General Hospital, and those located at Bafoussam, Bamenda and Maroua Regional Hospitals, regularly, take care of some 150 children suffering from diabetes. Before the end of the programme, eight specialised centres to handle diabetes children will be created in each region of the country. Health experts urged the population to eat less fatty food and carry out physical exercise in a bid to avoid diabetes. Those already suffering from diabetes are being advised to consult regularly in the various centres that have been created and properly follow up their treatment. All regional hospitals in the country have centres that handle adults’ suffering from diabetes.
