DIABETES TREATMENT IN TANZANIA

Although it is recognized that people afflicted with diabetes mellitus are heavy lifetime users of health care resources in developed countries, few studies have considered the economic implications for developing nations.

However, from the results of a new study conducted at the Muhimbili Medical Center, Das es Salaam, Tanzania, Stella Chale and colleagues report that if presently non-paying African diabetics have to pay for their treatment, as could be in the offing due to severe economic difficulties, most will be unable to do so and will die.

Detailed in the British Medical Journal (May 9), Dr Chale's study was designed to estimate the costs of diagnosis and treatment of diabetes in Tanzania in two groups. The costs were calculated from the reported and recorded experience of a total of 464 patients with newly presenting diabetes between 1989 and 1990 and diabetic patients first seen between 1981 and 1982.