During lockdown period, people with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are advised to take extra precaution as they are more vulnerable to coronavirus, and, therefore, need to ensure that they are well-protected.

"If they got their treatment in time,” Dr Francoise Uwinkindi, the director of Cancer Diseases Unit at RBC, says, "It will enable them to cope with the quarantine period without having to experience major complications due to lack of medicines.”

The group is at risk of being infected with COVID-19 because of their weakened immune system.

It’s in this regard that Rwanda Diabetes Association (RDA), a local NGO with the mission to advocate, help and care for the people living with Diabetes, in collaboration with Ministry of Health through RBC, has organised the supply of insulin in 19 district hospitals across the country.

According to Uwinkindi, although the activity was there before, this time, it’s crucial because there could be limited supply of insulin and syringes, given the current situation.

If they miss out on insulin, Louis Grignon Ngabonzima, Project Assistant, Rwanda NCD Alliance, says, their blood sugar will go up making them unable to fight the COVID-19 infection, which could result in a diabetic coma or death.

The three-day activity also aims at educating and advising people living with NCDs to continue living healthy and avoid any habits that can compromise their health during this period.

Uwinkindi says the insulin is meant for the treatment of type 1 diabetes, which is mostly found in children who depend on it on a daily basis.

Ngabonzima says the activity aims at supporting MoH and facilitating people living with type 1 diabetes to access their treatment without difficulties.

Etienne Uwingabire, the director of Rwanda Diabetes Association, says without insulin, the body cannot digest the glucose.

He says they aim at ensuring that all hospitals avail insulin at health centres, where patients can get access to it easily.

"In this period, the situation of people living with NCDs is a challenge for those with a problem of food security, not forgetting the medicine they are obliged to take on a daily basis,” he says.

Uwingabire adds that these people need food to take with their drugs to avoid hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar).

During the distribution of food to vulnerable people, he says, they are advocating for them to be provided for as well.

NCDs and COVID-19

Joseph Mucumbitsi, a cardiologist and the president of Rwanda Heart Foundation, who also heads NCD Alliance in Rwanda, says all people living with NCDs are at higher risk of getting COVID-19, due to their low immune system.

They include cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, and chronic kidney diseases, among others, particularly those above the age of 60.

He says studies have shown that having diabetes, for instance, will make it harder for the immune system to resist the COVID-19 infection.

He says these particular patients are not only at risk of getting this virus, but also more at risk of having severe symptoms and complications.

According to reports published in international journals, the information on all the death cases from the data collected in China during the pandemic, analysed and reported by WHO and the China research community collectively; showed that a big percentage of people who died from COVID-19 were those with NCDs.

For instance, it showed that among the people; 13.2 per cent had cardiovascular diseases, 9.2 per cent were diabetic, 8.4 per cent hypertension, 8 per cent COPID (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and asthma while 7.6 per cent were cancer patients.

What to take into consideration

Mucumbitsi recommends consuming healthy foods in order to help the immune system optimise its function.

Reducing or avoiding alcohol intake is important, as well as staying away from smoking, among other unhealthy lifestyles, he says.

"The major complications of COVID-19 infection are severe respiratory syndrome, and if one has been smoking, they have higher risk of having severe pulmonary infection than that one who hasn’t been smoking,” he says.

He goes on to add that it’s important to continue exercising at least 30 minutes a day. He says this is because people are now at home where less physical activity is likely to happen.

For adults, he says 30 minutes a day is enough, while children should do this for at least one hour.

He says that it’s ideal to use this opportunity to look out for many videos on YouTube or other websites/blogs for different types of exercises.

"People over 60 should protect themselves from any contact with other people to avoid being contaminated with the virus, as they are at higher risk of getting it than younger people,” he advises.

Mucumbitsi says it is imperative to continue with treatment if living with an NCD.

According to Mucumbitsi, it’s important to note that some of the treatment may increase the risk of getting the virus, especially the anti-rejection drugs for those who had a kidney transplant.

He explains that these patients need to continue with the medication for the rest of their lives for the medicine to tolerate the new organ (kidney).

"These drugs may somehow compromise their immune system, thus increase the risk of getting the virus. Therefore, stay home and pay close attention to your health during this period,” he added.