IN OTHER NEWS BY CHARNDRÉ EMMA KIPPIE
TACKLING SOUTH AFRICA’S CURRENT
Diabetes Crisis KZN: MOST AFFECTED BY DIABETES Recent studies have indicated that the Covid-19 pandemic has amplified the widespread influx of diagnosed diabetes cases in South Africa. Diabetes has been called a ‘silent killer’ as the earliest symptoms of the disease are often left undiagnosed. With this in mind, doctors have categorised diabetes as a ‘high risk factor’ for individuals who are infected with the coronavirus. Studies conducted in 2021, thus far, have also indicated that the prevalence of diabetes is higher in KwaZulu-Natal than anywhere else in South Africa. DIABETES VIRTUAL SUMMIT On Wednesday 10 November 2021 (ahead of World Diabetes Day on 14 November), the Diabetes Virtual Summit was opened to the public — an initiative geared towards educating the masses on the severe
impact of the disease in correlation with diabetes and finding actionable solutions to the crisis. The summit was themed: Building Back Better: Diabetes Response in SA post-Covid. “In the immediate wake of Covid-19, it is time to take stock. As one of the top comorbidities for severe Covid-19 infection and poor outcomes, diabetes has been brought into the spotlight”, said a release issued by the Diabetes Alliance. “The South African Diabetes Summit will take stock of the current diabetes situation and produce a Diabetes Charter that will allow the government and all interested parties to ‘build back better’ in terms of the South African response to the diabetes epidemic.” Bridget McNulty, the current Diabetes Alliance Chairperson, announced that the organisation, in collaboration
52 | Public Sector Leaders | November 2021
with the University of Pretoria’s Diabetes Research Centre (DRC), would be leading the inaugural summit. This high-priority response was deemed a necessity for addressing the “country’s exploding diabetes crisis”, said McNulty. “Instead of just telling people about diabetes in South Africa, we’ve invited all those living with and working with diabetes to join us in co-creating SA’s first Diabetes Charter which will be launched at the summit.
Every person in South Africa knows someone or has a family member living with diabetes “Do South Africans really need another summit? Yes, especially one about diabetes and especially in the wake of Covid-19 which was devastating for people with diabetes,” said McNulty.
