Damas Nduwumwami, Burundi
I was diagnosed with diabetes type II on February 2010 during a stressful situation. I had already an hypertension since 1994 which was well taken care of. But because of the stress which was beyond my control, I started to feel useless, helpless and most of all anhealthy and therefore going to accept all the complications that go along with these 2 diseases. I was not at ease. I spent some weeks in the hospital where Doctors were able to control my diseases. There, I kept seeing patients dying with complications related to these 2 diseases. In fact, my quarter in the hospital was nearly all patients were affected by diabetes. Some were suffering of pancreatic complications at later stage and were counting days before death, some others were struggling with the cost of medicines while their related have abandonned their work to take care of them. A punishment to the whole family including friends who visit for their confort and support. From that time to now, I decided to keep these 2 diseases to do no harm to me. I regularly exercise, eat correctly and sensitize friends and neighbors to promote good health in speaking out how to control these deaseases and other NCDs. Our efforts though are being limited by a public anaware or very poor to acceed to medicines. In my view and hope, I think these NCDs should get the same attention as HIV/AIDS in order to curb their rampant progression.