Diabetes sufferer turns health activist

“I have been living with diabetes for the past 48 years. I have accepted this condition as part of my life and, because of my long experience with this condition, I have developed a strong passion for assisting other people who are in a similar situation,” said Moyo.

Moyo and fellow member Lovejoice Kahari have set up a voluntary diabetes counselling centre at Mpilo hospital, where they offer free support for patients who are diagnosed with the condition.

“We normally conduct the counseling sessions once a week, but our major challenge is transport,” said Moyo. “We have managed to correct the thinking that diabetes is a death sentence.”

Using his own resources, Moyo, who is a qualified diabetes counsellor, has also visited several schools, churches and workplaces in and around Bulawayo conducting awareness campaigns.

“A lot of people out there are diabetic but they do not know their condition. One good thing about diabetes is that the condition can be managed as long as a person knows his or her status in time and adheres to a strict diet. We also encourage diabetic people to do regular exercises such as brisk walking,” he said.

Moyo also encouraged diabetic people to eat traditional food with less fat and to cut down on red meat.

The association, which has a membership of more than 100 diabetic people, has also been involved in sourcing and distributing glucose measuring meters and diabetes testing machines to members and other diabetic people.

Diabetes is a condition in which the amount of glucose in the blood is too high because the body cannot use it properly.

According to the Zimbabwe Diabetes, close to half of Zimbabwe’s population suffers from diabetes. The government has trained 350 health workers to act as diabetes health educators.