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NEWS: Zosia Kmietowicz Nearly two thirds of people with diabetes in England don’t receive all recommended care, audit finds BMJ 2009; 339: b2685 [Full text]

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It takes two to tango.

Rupert Gude   (10 July 2009)

It takes two to tango. 10 July 2009
Rupert Gude, VSO Doctor Kagondo Hospital, Kagera, Tanzania Send response to journal: Re: It takes two to tango.	Your news item about the national diabetic audit is sensational and does not reflect the real position in the country. Type 1 diabetics are often looked after in hospital and it is often difficult in General practice to obtain from the hospital the results of various checks like blood pressure and Hbaic let alone foot examination. Just because it is not recorded does not mean it is not done. It is not clear how the reporter differentiates maturity onset diabetes and type 2 diabetes. This is sloppy reporting. As to complications, most of these are self induced from years of eating too much of the wrong food, taking too little exercise and smoking too much. These habits are well known to be more prevalent in poorer communities in the West. It is also the pattern in richer communities in developing countries. The standard of health care may indeed be worse in poorer communities but this cannot be extrapolated from the report. If diabetics want to delay their complications then a smoke free, active vegeterian life is a good start. Also joining the BDA to be informed about what to expect from their doctor. Competing interests: None declared