LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s local organisation, Community against Diabetes & Hypertension (CADH) has expressed sadness over men tendency of absconding diabetes supporting groups which are aimed at raising awareness to control the scourge of the disease.
The development concedes with Journalist Association against Aids (Journalaids)’s recent observation that the country’s general public are ignorant about the diabetic disease which is claiming lives hence the need for curriculum integration in Primary schools.
In its recent study, CADH found out that many men are unable to patronise peer groups with only ten percent prompting the organisation to revise and introduce new Supporting Peer initiatives around Lilongwe Urban and rural, a model that gives hope to diabetes patients.
In an exclusive interview with The Maravi Post, CADH’s Programs manager Thomas Psyata said the tendency of men shunning the diabetes groups was unhealthy if the battle against the disease is to yield results.
Psyata said though men are shunning the initiative, patients share personal experiences especially how they can put their diabetes under control.
He emphasized the need for men as heads of families to take a leading role in health living saying if men start showing interest in investing in their health, women and children will easily get introduced to such good habits.
“It is a common trend that men feel shy to participate in community groups especially in groups where women are present. We have groups where men are less than 10 percent. This is worrisome as the Diabetes and Hypertension are claiming a lot of Malawians without knowing”, observed Psyata.
Echoing on the same, Dr. Isaac Chirwa, CADH’s board chairperson disclosed that on March 3, 2017 the organisation will launch diabetes and hypertension counselling centre at Biwi Township in the capital Lilongwe aimed at bringing diabetes and hypertension services to communities so that men find time to access them.
Dr. Chirwa hinted that the centre will carter for those living in Lilongwe urban and counselling is to be provided by experts who have passion in the helping communities.
“The centre will be the first of this kind in the country. We want to reach out to many people but currently we are limited by resources. This is also the reason we are calling on government and other stakeholders to support organizations that are bringing awareness of the two conditions in communities especially in villages where deaths of such conditions are attributed to witchcraft”, urges Dr. Chirwa.
CADH is a local organization that serves local communities in awareness for the prevention and treatment of diabetes and hypertension whose main objective is to improve the lives of people affected by diabetes in its prevention, management and cure targeting communities, religious groups (Churches and Mosques) primary secondary and tertiary education.