Resource center for chronic disease management

Our goal of improving the health of rural dwellers in Nigeria continues to be our focus in initiating this program. Our discoveries of high need for chronic disease management and the fact that the populations we serve are not poor financially but also lack the knowledge and other resources to manage their conditions. To manage chronic diseases, there is a need and proven fact that using the right medications and right approach helps to reduce or delay complications resulting from these conditions if not managed. The news we get everyday from the local volunteers is the number people coming for medications are increasing each time they announce the date for the maintenance program. Our sponsors of some of these villages cannot meet up with the influx of more people in need of help. I was also told that some of the people that come to collect medications are not there because they are free, but because the medications are real and works. A couple said they have had diabetes and hypertension for two years and nothing seems to work for them. But coming to the program this year and using the medications they collected made a huge difference in their lives and both there blood pressures and blood sugars are well controlled. A sponsor of one of the villages is suggesting we inform the participants that the medications are meant for that village alone and no people from the neighboring villages. The truth of the matter is that the message about the upcoming follow up is being relayed to those other villages by the people in this village, who are related to those in those neighboring villages. We cannot stop people form coming knowing that they do not have an alternative and their best choice is to continue with the fake drugs that is out there, or the ones that cannot afford even the fake drugs to go home and die. The fact that the number seeking help after each annual outreach increases, is a good sign. It means people are getting the information about chronic diseases and its management. The Resource Center still need more work to put it into full use. Follow up care and storing of supplies is what it is being used for at present. Our goal is to have the resource center open 3-4 times in a week for maintenance program and reinforcing education on chronic disease management. Want to use this opportunity to thank our friends out there, our donors for believing in us and in helping us make a difference in the health of these rural dwellers. We are looking for help for procurement of oral agents and insulin for the diabetics. We are short of medications to continue with the maintenance program before our next outreach in October.