Expert Blame Non-Compliance In Diabetes Treatment On Poverty

A specialist in diabetes and hormonal disorders, Prof. Babatope Kolawole, of the Department of Medicine, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, has blamed non–compliance in diabetes treatment on poverty, ignorance, poor health education among others.

Kolawole who made the assertion recently while announcing his collaboration with MedEnhanz Resources Limited to reduce the incidence and deaths from of diabetic-related emergencies in Nigeria, stated that issues bordering on diabetes need urgent attention.

MedEnhanz is an online medical information company based in Nigeria. It provides a web-based medical information and clinical reference tool for Nigerian medical professionals.

Kolawole has specifically teamed up with the health development firm, as an author on the online platform for continuing professional development (CPD) to raise the awareness of every medical practitioner on the causes, early recognition and treatment of diabetes emergencies.

According to the expert, diabetes emergencies are life-threatening conditions in people with diabetes that if not recognised early and managed appropriately would usually result in death or chronic debility of the individuals involved.
“These avoidable clinical states can usually be grouped into two extremes – hyperglycaemic and hypoglycaemic states. Hyperglycaemic states represent decompensation of diabetes either from failure to produce insulin in people with type -1 diabetes or an inability to properly use insulin in people with type -2 diabetes.

“These hyperglycaemic emergencies are also an important cause of morbidity and mortality in Nigeria, owing largely to poor drug compliance engendered by poverty, ignorance, poor health education, delayed diagnosis and other co morbidities.

“Diabetic Ketoacidosis also called DKA and Hyperglycaemic Hyperosmolar states alias HHS are the two extremes of diabetic decompensation that constitute hyperglycaemic emergencies.”

Kolawole explained that Hyperglycaemic emergencies in general account for majority of hospital admissions in Nigerians with diabetes mellitus.

Kolawole added: “Hospital-based data suggest that, as much as 30-40 per cent of hospitalisations in types 1 and 2 diabetes are due to hyperglycaemic emergencies.

“In developing countries, mortality from these conditions range from 20 to 50 per cent due to paucity of facilities for adequate care, shortage of insulin supplies and dearth of qualified caregivers. The online CPD programme on diabetes is aimed at addressing the problem of qualified care-givers by equipping physicians with modern management of DKA and HHS.”

The other life-threatening complication of diabetes, according to him, is hypoglycaemia, or low blood sugar. Kolawole said severe hypoglycaemia can result in death of individual if not properly recognised and treated by the patient or caregivers.