A new technology for diabetes in Africa – Part 1

A new technology for diabetes in Africa – Part 1

Diabetes, a disease once considered rare in sub-Saharan Africa is increasing rapidly due to urbanization, the aging population and many other factors. It is estimated that diabetes will affect over 13 million people in sub-Saharan Africa in 2012 and 350,000
will die of diseases associated with it, but only 15% of cases were diagnosed. By 2030, SSA should identify 24 million adults with diabetes.

Treatments, insulin and equipment often in short supply. And in countries that do, their prices generally prove unaffordable because access to subsidized medicine in Africa is often limited or nonexistent.

If insulin is exposed to extreme temperatures, it is already damaged and loses its effectiveness. The perfect temperature for the storage of insulin is between 2 ° C and 8 ° C and initiated, it will keep for up to three weeks at a temperature not exceeding
25 ° C.

In a large majority of sub-Saharan countries, less than 20% of the rural population has access to electricity (eg 16.1% in Kenya, Zambia 18.8%). This often paralyzes people’s lives. Without refrigeration method, it is customary for the rural population in
Africa to bury their insulin to try to keep at a constant temperature. This method of preservation is more than random and can quickly damage the insulin.

In a study published in 20091, 131 patients with diabetes Type 1 (insulin-dependent), 59% of these patients were hyper glycemic, showing poor control of diabetes. Of these patients, 56% maintained their insulin at room temperature. Poor storage temperature
of insulin is a major reason for poor management of diabetes in Africa.

For this reason, MedActiv, a company created by diabetics in France, has developed easy bag kits that keep insulin cool without using electricity gel crystals that cool the insulin when placed in contact with the water. This new technology is ideal for country
or electricity is not available for diabetics.

To enable easy bag kits simply immerse them in water for 40 seconds. The crystals in the panels of easy bag turn into gel that stays fresh for five to seven days based on an evaporation process that will keep the insulin at a temperature between 16 and 25
° C (up to an ambient temperature of 42 ° C).

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Posted by Fouad Ashraf on Feb 14 2012. Filed under Africa, World. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry