I prefer death to seeing my loved ones suffer - Diabetic's heartbreaking decision

"If diabetes is destined to take me to my grave, I really prefer death to having my family and friends suffer as a result of my illness," these were the words of a resilient soul, Zaliatu who like many others battling with diabetes have to face while living with this chronic condition.

Diabetes, according to the World Health Organization, is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by levels of blood sugar which leads over time to serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves.

About 422 million people worldwide have diabetes with the majority living in low and middle-income countries.

"Diabetes is an endocrine condition where the hormone called insulin which is responsible for carrying blood sugar to the various cells and tissues is not produced at all or is produced but has lost its effectiveness. sugar then is not to the cells and tissues but is left in the bloodstream. You need to be investigated and diagnosed before you can confirm if you are diabetic or not," Dr Emmanuel Asante, a Specialist Family Physician, told the team while giving insight into diabetes and how one can know if they are suffering from the condition.

There are 2 most common types of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes normally occurs in adults. This happens when the body becomes resistant to insulin or doesn't make enough insulin whereas Type 1 diabetes, once known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin by itself.

In Ghana, there are about 2.4 million people living with diabetes with approximately 7.5% of adults having Type-2 diabetes. Alarming as this may be, many people have still not been diagnosed.

"It all started when I began to feel sick and uncomfortable. I then visited the doctor. He asked me if I knew what diabetes was and he made me run some labs. He asked me if there was any history of diabetes in my family, I told him my auntie suffered diabetes when I was young. Then he told me at that moment that I had diabetes," Zalia recollected.

A global research carried out by the International Diabetes Federation recently among people living with diabetes across Africa, Asia, Europe and South America to understand the level of awareness and impact of diabetes-related complications showed that, 72% of people only found out they had diabetes after developing complications associated with the condition.

Additionally, almost 94% of those surveyed had experienced one or more complications during their life with diabetes.

By 2045, IDF projections show that 1 in 8 adults, approximately 783 million, will be living with diabetes, an increase of 46%.

Unfortunately, most people living in middle or low-income countries where resources are limited, face the challenge of managing the condition and have to rely on members of their family to help them navigate through these times. Zalia has not been spared this challenge.

"I have been living with diabetes for the past 15 years. It has affected me financially and I don't have the strength to work anymore. I'm really struggling to survive like every other regular person. I take my medications as my doctor has prescribed but to no avail. It keeps getting worse by the day. My sister's husband really used to help me until he died after a short illness. I never expected to suffer from diabetes. It left me very sad. sometimes I prefer death so the financial drain and stress on my family and friends do not have to continue".

Her Excellency Elizabeth Esi Denyo, Chairperson for IDF in the Africa Region in an interview reiterated how the time has come for all and sundry, especially leaders and stakeholders, to come together to ensure that people who cannot afford and also access proper health care are looked out for.

"Enough is enough. We must wake up. We are tired of policies, big meetings, press conferences talking about non-communicable diseases that end nowhere. We need to take action! What is the use of bringing in diabetes medication, making policies when the poor patient cannot buy? We want the common patient by the roadside or in the village to be able to access proper healthcare. We also need to educate people about the disease and debunk the myth that diabetes is a spiritual disease".

Executive Director of Your Health Reach, Ezekiel Fiifi Koomson, on his part highlighted the importance of health literacy in various communities.

According to him, the need for increased awareness, understanding of health-related information among individuals and communities should never be underestimated.

"Health Literacy is not just about understanding medical jargon; it's about empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their health".

Touching on the organization's commitment to promote health literacy in Ghana, he asserted that, "Our commitment to improving health literacy extends beyond mere dissemination of information. It involves fostering a culture where individuals feel empowered to seek, understand and utilize health information effectively."

Mr Koomson further urged individuals and stakeholders to actively engage in initiatives promoting health literacy, envisioning a future where every individual possesses the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed health decisions.