Free insulin for Ethiopia’s diabetic children

Mekonnen Teshome
AfricaSTI, Addis Ababa

Ethiopians suffering from diabetes are to benefit from a free insulin injection and other diabetes related support services for the next five years courtesy of the Ethiopian Diabetes Association (EDA).

Type-1 diabetes which usually happens in children is a condition where the pancreas could not produce insulin.

Ahmed Reja, EDA President said at the launch of an awareness programme in Addis Ababa recently that continuous effort should be made to protect children from the deadly health problem. “If a child is diagnosed with type-1 diabetes, he has to take insulin all his life. However, most children don’t have access to insulin and diabetes related services. Moreover, children may sometimes live with diabetes for long without being detected resulting in death.”
The president added that currently the association is to launch the  ‘Changing Diabetes in Children’ programme all over the country supported by Novo Nordisk organisation, an international  organization that supports and deliver services related to diabetes in children in developing countries including Ethiopia.

He also said, though diabetes was detected some 3,500 years back, its cause has not yet been known.  “It is difficult to prevent its occurrence but it is possible to protect one from its dangers once it is detected,” the President said.
According him type two diabetes, usually attacks people above 18. This, unlike type one, is mainly caused by improper life style and diet system, said Dr. Ahmed.
Established in1984, EDA currently has about 15,000 members and 35 branches across the Ethiopia. About 300 million people live with diabetes worldwide.

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Posted by AfricaSTI on August 29, 2011. Filed under Ethiopia, Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry