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Diabetes jumps high as poverty rises in Armenia

30 September 2014 09:18 (UTC+04:00)
Diabetes jumps high as poverty rises in Armenia

By Mushvig Mehdiyev

Number of registered diabetes patients on rise in Armenia, while the real figure is supposed to be higher.

There are 930 registered diabetes patients in Goris village of Armenia's Syunik region. The local polyclinic reported that almost 12-15 new diabetes cases are registered in the village every week and that poses a real threat.

Hard social condition triggers the health problems among people in Armenia. Widespread poverty prevents most residents to meet daily nutrition needs, which make them more inclined towards the illnesses. Lack of state care and essential medications are pushing the residents deeper into trouble.

Rise of diabetes patients is not an unusual case in Goris. Residents of the remote highland village are living in a miserable conditions, which is mostly characterized by extreme poverty. An exhibition titled "Poverty through Volunteers' Eyes" took place in Goris in 2011 and presented the poverty in all its varieties in the village. Photos depicting the every-day life of poor Goris people revealed the real life of villagers, which is far from the normal.

"Most of the residents prefer to get diagnosed in Yerevan, rather than registering with us," Meri Khourshoudyan, an endocrinologist at Goris Medical Center said.

She added that many families are hesitant to bring their sick children into the center for consultation lest it be find out by relatives and friends.

Siroush Ektibaryan, head of the endocrinology lab at the Goris Polyclinic, said some of the patients treat themselves at home by purchasing sugar measuring devices.

Ektibaryan noted that despite the government provides free medications for the patients, they are not satisfied with the quality. "Some of the patients confessed that they've been taking double doses of their prescribed meds. They claim the potency of the free drugs has become substandard over the past two years."

Khourshoudyan said those, who received free medications, started to complain on it and give it back. She claimed that many patients opt to purchase meds from the drugstore. "Patients had been receiving French drugs, but now they are getting Armenian drugs instead. As a result, complaints of the patient on drug quality have risen."

Physicians in general believe that diet and change of life style affect diabetes patients in Armenia. She noted that by limiting sugary beverages and eating less red meat and other sources of saturated fat can help in to prevent the diabetes. Active smoking, lack of regular exercise and obesity are the factors that may accelerate the maleficent effects of diabetes.

Khourshoudyan said these preventative measures were generally overlooked in Armenia.

Healthcare is shown among the most problematic fields in Armenia. The sector lags to develop due to the lack of required financial investments by the government. WHO reported that private financing constitutes about half of total health expenditures in Armenia. In other words, in most cases residents pay for medical services from their own pocket. On the background of current economic downturn, fewer and fewer people can afford to meet health expenditures in Armenia.

Unemployment and growing emigration have taken its toll on continuously deserted rural regions. There is considerably high number of unemployed in Armenian regions. Mostly youth abandon the country for job by leaving their parents alone. Regular stress of being alone and being deprived of financial funds impact the older people both, morally and physically to weaken their health. A WHO study revealed that people in Armenia who had lost their job or who were no longer receiving remittances from abroad were already facing health problems.

The sense of individual responsibility for people's health is low in Armenia. There is widespread misunderstanding and confusion regarding public health services. Health promotion was not properly carried out among people, particularly in rural regions. The post-Soviet country is suffering from shortage of health promotion and education programs.

Poor people pin their hope on lemon, tea, vinegar to survive against the diseases, as their empty pockets keep them apart from medications.

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