Diabetes

As contagious diseases begin to be controlled in Africa, chronic disease such as high blood pressure and diabetes are becoming more of a problem.

Diabetes is especially hard to treat when insulin is required because of the expense of insulin, lack of refrigeration, and lack of access to home sugar monitoring.

Added to all of these economic factors is the fact that most people in Impfondo do not have a secure food source.  The amount and type of food they eat changes on a daily basis.

Spring 2011- working on balance after amputation

Double is a patient that we have seen before.  He was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he came to the hospital to have his foot amputated in the spring of 2011.

Waiting for surgery

Since his amputation has limited his ability to work, he has not been able to be on a stable treatment plan, which requires expensive medications.

He recently returned to the hospital with an extremely high blood sugar and dehydration.

His one remaining foot had a serious skin infection, which required multiple minor surgeries including toe amputation and skin graft.

Spring 2014- recovering

He has recovered enough to return home from the hospital, but will face serious challenges such as finding employment, having a constant source of insulin, and finding his place in society.