GOVERNMENT URGED TO INTEGRATE NON COMMUNICABLE DISEASES HEALTHCARE

GOVERNMENT URGED TO INTEGRATE NON COMMUNICABLE DISEASES HEALTHCARE
BY JEFFERSON KIPKEMOI.

Kenya’s older activists have urged the government to integrate care for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes at all healthcare centres.

On Thursday the world marked the World Health Day whose focus this year is extensive campaign calling for action against the increasing prevalence of diabetes through screening, testing, treatment and education, older activists said screening for chronic illness like would be an effective way to also identify and treat.
The participation by the older activists to raise awareness of the challenges facing the older community are part of HelpAge International’s Age Demands Action campaign (ADA) which is a grassroots campaign challenging age discrimination in over 60 countries.

“This year’s ADA has mobilised older campaigners in more than 50 countries to draw attention to the challenges they face. Without treatment, older people with diabetes are more at risk of developing complications and other non-communicable diseases than younger people.” Read part of a statement released on Wednesday 6^th April this year by HelpAge International’s Regional Communications Coordinator Henry Neondo.

Non- communicable diseases are a major challenge for the older people in various countries. Closer home Mrs. Christine Wanjiru a resident of Nairobi recounts her encounter with diabetes.

“Diabetes has turned my life upside,” Mrs. Wanjiru, 65 said.

 In the last two years since she was diagnosed with the disease, and cannot afford to leave behind her insulin medication. However, due to her advanced age she a times forgets the medication which has come with adverse effects.

 “Due to old age, I often forgot to carry my bottle but with devastating consequences; it begins with loss of sense of where I am, the body becomes weak and I pass out. It takes those who know of my condition to revive me,” she said.

Though she said the condition was manageable she lamented the high cost of insulin and requests the government to assist in making them more affordable.

Mrs. May Wanjiru, 80, has the advantage of regular checkup at private health facilities which she says offer fast and quality health services. She has her daughters to thank for the support.

 “I detested the delay and long queues I used to find at the public health facilities and I wish there was a separate room for the older persons with this kind of disease,” she lamented.

Diabetes is one of the four major non-communicable diseases (NCDs), along with cancer, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and chronic respiratory disease. Prevalence of diabetes increases with age in many countries.

The Kenya government has a five year national strategy to tackle NCDs from 2014-19, but this is still in draft form. The strategy aims to raise the priority accorded to NCDs, promote healthy lifestyles and strengthen health systems among others.

According to HelpAge International, people who age in better health can remain productive for longer, continuing to make significant contributions to their families and communities. There will be reduced need for family support and particularly for the emergency care which often causes financial as well as health crises in poor households.

“The number of people living with diabetes has almost quadrupled since 1980 to 422 million adults, with most living in developing countries. Factors driving this dramatic rise include overweight and obesity,” read part of a report by the World Health Organisation released ahead of the World Health Day.

Around 9 per cent of the world’s adults are thought to have diabetes and, according to the World Health Organisation, it will be the seventh leading cause of death globally by 2030.

“An early diagnosis is crucial for preventing chronic health problems”, said Clare Woodford, Health Policy Advisor at HelpAge International. “It can take a while for symptoms to show themselves and when they do, people are often unaware of the implications or have difficulties accessing healthcare”.

Ms. Woodford advised that regular exercise and a healthier diet, low in sugar and salt, can not only reduce the risk of someone developing diabetes, but also help manage and reduce the symptoms among those who have it.

According to WHO estimates statistics shows that 1.5 million people died as a direct result of Type 2 diabetes in 2012 and more than 80 per cent of diabetes deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.

The Sustainable Development Goals, adopted at the UN September 2015, commit member states to ‘ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages’ and include a target on reducing mortality from NCDs. However, the extent to which older people are affected is still unclear.

“Much of the data on diabetes either ignores older people or doesn’t dis-aggregate by age”, Toby Porter, Chief Executive Officer at HelpAge International said.