Just weeks after The Pendsey Trust spoke to Paul Buchanan, founder of The Great Britain Diabetes Online Community (#GBDOC), we had the pleasure to chat with Adejumo Hakeen from its Nigerian arm. The Nigeria Diabetes Online Community (#NGDOC) is an organisation that provides social activities involving education and peer support for people living with diabetes.
Adejumo explains that the challenges in Nigeria are not dissimilar from those faced by the young people The Pendsey Trust is involved with in India. “In Nigeria, access to accurate information about diabetes is still limited, so knowledge about how to live with the disease is very poor among the majority,” says Adejumo. This, he says, “has a negative impact on the quality of life in many cases”. The problem is yet increased by the high cost of purchasing drugs and insulin which can be a real challenge for low income earners in the region. As a result, many simply cannot afford the medication.
In addition, many people living with diabetes in Nigeria who are not getting adequate peer support often go to traditional healers who claim they are able to cure diabetes. This is one of the main reasons for late presentations at clinics and increased complications.
Recognising these problems, Adejumo set up The NGdoc along with his colleague Odewale Halima just over a year ago following the success of the #GBDOC. The community now has four directors and 20 volunteers who strive tirelessly to achieve its vision. “The use of social media is increasing in Nigeria with many young people now involved,” says Adejumo. “Therefore, it was imperative to create a platform that serves to empower and educate people about diabetes,” he adds. The work carried out by NGdoc now extends to community based health work, screening, diabetes education and school health programmes.
The Pendsey Trust wishes NGdoc every success in raising awareness of diabetes in Nigeria, and for achieving its overall vision “to have a diabetes advocate in each Nigerian family”.
To find out more about #NGDOC click here or alternatively you can follow them on Twitter, and like them on Facebook.
Excellent writeup.
Great work @thengdoc
Am glad to know the founders, and I’ve been blessed with their twitter handle, and website.
Way to go, guys!!!
Great piece,as always!
The complications of this silent killer is on the increase in our hospitals in Nigeria,and the only culprit,or better still,the major culprit is the obvious ‘Lack of awareness amongst sufferers.
NGDOC therefore has been making efforts to Educate,and increase the awareness of Diabetes,which ofcourse are yielding results.
Fellow Nigerians,and interested sponsors too should help NGDOC reach her target by partnering with them towards a Nation free deadly complications of Diabetes.
Impressive write up and really proud of @thengdoc and anticipate greater strides and curbing the menace called diabetes
Excellent,Nigerians are grateful for NGDOC.
NGDOC has come to stay.
Kudos to my friend ; Hakeem Adejumo for the great work he is doing with his team @thengdoc! Keep up the good work.
Thank you so much for the wonderful work you guys are doing with making meaningful and invaluable impact in the life of Nigerians, particularly those living with diabetes. Many thanks also to http://www.diabeticareFoundation.org for all the great work in diabetes awareness to all Nigerians. Way to go Diabeticarefoundation.
Hakeem has mentioned a key point, medications are on the high side here so majority of Nigerians living with diabetes would seek medical help as a last resort. They prefer to first try herbs and traditional herbs users who make them high promises within their budgets