Diabetes Care in Guinea: Challenges and Solutions

In Guinea, the 2009 Steps survey conducted in Conakry high-lights a prevalence of 5.6% in patients aged 25 to 64 years. Undiagnosed diabetes cases were 57.3%, and of the known cases, 68.5% were untreated. 1 Poor control of diabetes (hemo-globin A1C (HbA1C) ≥ 7%) was noted in 84% of Guinean diabetics, of whom, 41% had HbA1C ≥ 10%.2 Moreover, different studies showed that diabetes is often complicated: 20% of patients on dialysis. 2 In addition, 5% of diabetic patients seen in 2000 were blind, 2 and 10% of them sustained an amputation in the thigh in 2001. 3 Nearly one-half of men with diabetes (48.4%) surveyed in a study in 2003 showed erectile dysfunctions. 4 A study conducted in 2000 showed that 8% of patients had a stroke. 5 Cardiovascular risk factors were also noted in the 2009 Steps survey in Conakry. Hypertension was found in 33.4% of the population aged 25 to 64, 67.9% of them were not known before the study, and 87.5% of all patients with high blood pressure were not treated. In addition, 14.3% of the population had hypercholesterolemia (total cholesterol ≥190 mg/dL), 10% were smokers, and 59.3% did not