Many of the people living with diabetes unfortunately also fall into this bracket, and the lockdown has had disastrous effects on their ability to move around and access healthcare and medication.

Outpatient clinics play a very big part to a significant number of people living with chronic conditions and common sense would tell one that if people with chronic conditions are unable to visit outpatient clinics or hospitals regularly during the lockdown, then it becomes difficult for them to access their prescriptions or receive urgent advice about managing their conditions in a reduced service environment.

Unfortunately, lockdown support measures around outpatient clinics and other medical services do not appear to have been communicated effectively and widely with people reporting variedly the extent to which messages about clinic closures had reached them for instance, with some patients reporting that they only learnt of the suspension of services upon arrival at the medical centres.

The implications on Zimbabwe’s compromised health system will be severe as it will not be able to handle the extra burden of dealing with people with diabetes complications in the long run.

The implications on our already compromised health system will be severe as it will not be able to handle the extra burden of dealing with people with diabetes complications in the long run, leading to a further collapse of the economy.