SANTÉ DIABÈTE LAUNCHES A PREVENTION STRATEGY ON COVID19-DIABETES

COVID-19 et diabète : une prise en charge optimale du diabète comme moyen de prévenir les complications liées au COVID-19.

L’ONG Santé Diabète met en place des programmes de prévention COVID-19 chez les personnes atteintes de diabète.

The available scientific information shows that diabetes does not increase the risk to be infected with COVID-19. On the other hand, they show that people with diabetes whose management of the disease is not optimal are at risk of developing more serious forms of COVID-19. In order to prevent COVID-19 infection and diabetes-related complications, Santé Diabète has set up, in Burkina Faso and in Mali, a specific program for COVID/diabetes prevention and patient monitoring. Hand in hand with local authorities, Santé Diabète also ensures the availability of insulin stocks to avoid any form of shortage or stock-outs. On June 4, we will organize a “webinar” to present these actions.

While scientific studies show that people with diabetes are not more likely to get COVID-19, they suggest that people with diabetes are more "at risk" when they are infected. The various international recommendations define that patients at risk are: patients with unbalanced dependent insulin-dependent diabetes or with complications from their diabetes or/and comorbidities such as obesity for example. In Africa, this concern is heightened for people with diabetes because they have diabetes that is often less well balanced, as well as other associated comorbidities such as obesity and high blood pressure. This is why prevention of COVID-19 infection and optimal management of diabetes are critical.

1. Implementation of prevention and "teleconsultation" campaigns for people for “at risk”

Santé Diabète has just set up a specific follow-up program in Burkina Faso and Mali for people with diabetes. This prevention program, which is completely free-of-charge for people, is structured around several axes: access to information for more than 2,500 people with diabetes, through an SMS campaign specifically targeting these patients. In parallel, a prevention campaign in the media will aim to reach a greater number of patients.
These prevention campaigns will emphasize the following points: it is very important to set up an optimal monitoring of diabetes to rebalance it as well as possible. It is essential to have a sufficient supply of medication to treat diabetes. It is essential to always keep close blood sugar monitoring equipment ; and finally, it is essential to maintain close contact by telephone with your diabetologist to strengthen monitoring of diabetes and avoid complications.
“The message is very clear: be careful if you have diabetes, there is a risk of infection, so you have to manage your diabetes well. This will include simple advice to follow all barrier measures to avoid infection and more sp ecific advice on diabetes.” Stéphane Besançon, Director General of Santé Diabète
A "tele-consultation" program with specialist diabetologists and endocrinologists will be made available for patients with diabetes through whatsapp exchanges. The goal is to carry out teleconsultations allowing to accentuate prevention, to better follow the evolution of the chronic disease, while avoiding to move in the healthcare facilities, if the need is not urgent. This monitoring will also help to better manage the Ramadan period for people with diabetes in this context of epidemy.
In parallel, Santé Diabète will set up, as part of a partnership with Doctors Without Borders (MSF), donations of masks for all patients with diabetes.

2. To secure the insulin supply to avoid shortages or stock-outs

Hand in hand with the Burkinabé and Malian health authorities, Santé Diabète is working to ensure that the insulin supply will be secured. Many countries have recently experienced shortages and stock-outs on life-saving treatments. The waves of COVID-19 in different countries producing these drugs may have slowed production in the past weeks, and we would like to make sure that there are no stock-outs or shortages in any of the two countries. This involves supplying up to the needs, taking into account possible additional delivery times, and optimal stock management at the country and regional levels.
“The Malian health authorities are working hand in hand with Santé Diabète to guarantee continuity of care for all patients with diabetes, to guarantee access to insulin, and to support the implementation of actions to prevent complications related to COVID-19 for these people.", Michel Sidibé, Minister of Health and Social Affairs of Mali

3. Santé Diabète is organizing a "Webinar" during the first week of June 2020 in the presence of Michel Sidibé, Minister of Health of Mali

Santé Diabète will organize on June 4, a webinar presenting this COVID-19 / diabetes prevention program and the issues related to it. The registration details for this webinar will be announced shortly.
Michel Sidibé, Minister of Health and Social Affairs of Mali and Stéphane Besançon, Director General of Santé Diabète will present in detail the different actions carried out in Mali and Burkina Faso in the context of diabetes and COVID-19.

 

About the diabetes prevention program/COVID-19 in Mali and Burkina Faso: People can sign up for prevention programs by phone or internet. By email by writing to covid19@santediabete.org Or by sending an SMS or by calling the following telephone numbers: For Mali: +223 71 43 66 51 and for Burkina Faso: +226 79 07 66 60

The COVID-19 / diabetes prevention strategy presentation documents are available for download in French (Strat_COVID19-Diabete) and in english (Strat_COVID19-Diabetes).

This Covid19-Diabetes prevention program is implemented thanks to the support of the 5% Initiative, the World Diabetes Foundations (WDF), the French Development Agency (AFD) and the FAMIB Group Center for Innovation, Technological Research and Creative Industry.