Linda Tsungirirai Masarira
BY LINDA TSUNGIRIRAI MASARIRA, President, Labour Economists and Afrikan Democrats (LEAD)
This Diabetes Awareness Week, I speak not only as a political leader but as one of the millions silently fighting a daily battle, living with diabetes in Zimbabwe.
Diabetes is a chronic illness that demands constant vigilance, discipline, and care.
It is not a lifestyle choice; it is a life sentence of daily monitoring, dietary restrictions, and expensive medication especially for those with Type 1 diabetes, who are insulin-dependent.
For many Zimbabweans, managing blood sugar is a financial burden. Glucometer sticks are prohibitively expensive. Medications, especially insulin, are unaffordable for low-income households. People are dying not because their condition is untreatable but because treatment is inaccessible.
The government of Zimbabwe has been collecting a sugar tax, a noble public health measure but where is the money going? Has it helped those most affected by sugar-related illnesses?
It is time for accountability and action.
We call on the Government of Zimbabwe to ring-fence the sugar tax revenue for its original purpose:
– Provide free or subsidized insulin and diabetes medication
– Supply free glucometer sticks in all public health facilities
– Launch national diabetes screening, education, and prevention programs
– Train and deploy more diabetes specialist nurses and counselors
Living with diabetes should not be a death sentence for the poor.
As LEAD, we envision a healthcare system that cares for all especially those with chronic illnesses. Our commitment is to universal access to basic healthcare, including free treatment for diabetes and other life-threatening conditions.
We must stop treating health as a privilege and start treating it as a right. To all fellow diabetics: I see you. I walk this journey with you and I will fight for a system that doesn’t abandon you.
#DiabetesAwarenessWeek
#HealthJusticeNow
#FreeInsulinZW
#LEADCares
