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South Africa’s first lady, Dr Bongi Ngema-Zuma said her foundation still had the dream of establishing a diabetes centre of excellence but the lack of finances was the foremost hurdle.
The Bongi Ngema-Zuma Foundation yesterday used the posh Villa Sterne Boutique Hotel in Pretoria to host the #GoBlueDiabetes breakfast to address the state of diabetes in South Africa and the world over.
“It’s still a dream and it will come true one day but we need investors,” she said referring to the possibility of seeing the official opening of a diabetes centre of excellence in her lifetime.
Ngema-Zuma explained, without discounting its impact, that the prevalence of HIV/AIDS had been drummed into society’s psyche to the point that it is perceived as t he only disease affecting Africa.
She had no intent of incorporating HIV/AIDS in her foundation’s portfolio, even for the sake of attracting international sponsorship to fulfil her foundation’s wish.
“Some NGO’s have gone as far as adding HIV/AIDS to their portfolio to receive funding.
"I am resistant to that because if I add HIV/AIDS it will dilute the message that is not fully attended to. We need more NGO’s to advocate for diabetes.”
Ngema-Zuma started the foundation in 2010 and it is still putting its shoulder to wheel in an effort to realise a South Africa where diabetes ceases to claim lives owing to a lack of awareness.
The idea behind the breakfast was to invite influential people and bring the magnitude of the diabetes problem to their attention.
This way they might consider supporting the diabetes cause through corporate social investment budgets.
In attendance at the prestigious breakfast were luminaries that included doctors, company chief executives as well as musical Maskandi couple Bheki “Ihashi Elimhlophe” Ngcobo and wife Linah “Ebony” Ngcobo.
The foundation also has a short-term goal of expanding its diabetes awareness programmes.
They are planning camps that involve children and senior citizens for the purpose of building awareness around diabetes.
The camp concept seeks to go back to the fundamentals of the disease which would be facilitated by the foundation’s medical experts.
The key themes that the camps would focus on include meal planning, conversations about what sugar is and its significance in a diet, different types of drugs, exercise options and techniques used in coping with diabetes.
“Children are the primary target for the camps because it is important to tap into young minds to create early consciousness around healthy lifestyles.
"Diabetes is everyone’s problem and diet is central to managing and preventing it,” the foundation’s ambassador, Mandla Shabalala, said.
The first lady would like to have as many people to join hands to spread awareness about diabetes.
She is aware that not everybody can start a foundation and has teams representing her foundation in various parts of the country including Bloemfontein, the Vaal and KwaZulu-Natal.
“These are people who are keen to take the diabetes message out and they don’t want to start their own foundation. They do the groundwork of mobilising,” she said.
“We do have an extension of people who are interested in our initiative but are not starting their own foundation. It’s not easy and funds are a problem.”
After having achieved so much in the space of education and awareness around diabetes, Ngema-Zuma still feels more could be done.
“We have not reached out to everyone with the proper education.
"Raising awareness about diabetes is one thing, but to educate people on what to do to prevent and manage diabetes needs a closer interaction. We need to have programmes to engage people at churches, for example.”
People still believe diabetes is for the elderly and children with the disease are discriminated against Ngema-Zuma said.
“Lack of awareness is the major problem. Many people are living with the disease but they are not aware of it.”
