Diabetes in young people is a heavy burden all over the world
but it is particularly severe in developing countries. Although
the condition is the same, the context can be very different.
Young people with diabetes in the Democratic Republic of Congo
have to face a number of major challenges. They are perceived as
having a ‘mysterious disease’ which requires a lot of attention
on a daily basis throughout a lifetime. Belief in spells is
quite common in Africa, and many families feel it is their
responsibility to find the person responsible for causing the
diabetes. In many cases this leads to conflicts and can lead to
children being rejected and abandoned – considered by their
community as ‘bewitched’. Marguerite De Clerck and Rosanna Bucci
describe the situation for young people with diabetes facing
great adversity, and report from a promising healthcare centre
in eastern DR Congo. Democratic Republic of Congo, Uvira