The deadly complications of chronic diseases during the war in Sudan – DM

By: Alaa Babiker

Diabetes Mellitus of both types can be such a critical condition or disease if not controlled or treated rapidly and effectively.

What motivated me to write about this disease is that I have personaly known two cases who lost their lives due to complications of DM during the seventh week of this war in Sudan. The first one died due to lack of Insulin while the remaining Insulin she had was distorted due to electricity outage.

The other case died of food metabolism dysfunction and lack of DM medications for many days. His condition was unstable when he was stopped and investigated by the Rapid Support Forces for many hours, and when he came home he fell dead at the door steps of his home.

The disease itself is patient-friendly, and anyone who has it knows how and when to treat the increases and the decreases of the sugar level on their bodies. But during this war, it became very difficult to maintain glucose levels on the body of patients, and that is because of various reasons; the instability of food supplies at homes and at supermarkets in areas found in the middle of war zones. The difficulty finding routine medications of other conditions like Cholesterol and heart rates. The unavailability of the simple vegetables and fruits that are important for the daily diet. And most importantly the severe shortage of vital DM medication (Insulin and pills). And the sabotaging of many hospitals leaving patients with no choices but try to treat their conditions of DM complications at home.

All of the above mentioned reasons – in addition to the fear and tension of the patients when they hear and witness strikes and bombing every day and all day – have led to the continuous instability of glucose levels in DM patients, which led to sever ups and downs that can be of serious complication.

For the DM patients I would like to give some medical tips, if you read this you can give these advices to all who have the condition:-

1. Make sure that you have enough sugar and salt at home.
2. Drink as much water as possible. Water supply is critical at some places, but rationalising the drinking water would be of great importance.

3. Try your best to stabilize your meals during the day, and not to strive for long periods.

4. And contact the pharmacies numbers provided at some supportive social media platforms. There are volunteers who come to your place and bring you the free medications you need, which is one of the excellent social work made during this war.

The number of people in Sudan now dying of medical conditions is increasing daily. Lack of cancer therapy. Shortage of chronic diseases medications. Heart disease complications. Newborns and delivering mothers. The medical status is Sudan, and particularly in Khartoum needs an urgent intervention and great rescue efforts.

In the end, I ask all of the medical organizations, both national and international to consider the lives of those dying due to medical conditions. May Allah help us and keep us safe during this critical time.