I am Epimaque Hakizimana, a 30-year-old man who lives in the Kayonza-Eastern Province of Rwanda, and I have been living with Type 1 Diabetes for 12 years.

My journey to the hospital was complicated where I went to Rwinkwavu Hospital feeling insecure during the pandemic for not having permission. Fortunately, I explained to the security guards about my travel and understood me.

The COVID-19 affected many people including me such as the businesses failed, and many people lost their jobs. Things got worse and the prices raised at the market, or some products were no longer available at the market. My hope of life has reduced because I thought anytime there would be no access to medicine, because of no pharmaceutical industries. Instead, we import all medicines, and flights are stopped. I think my life destiny has deviated.

I am worried that if COVID-19 cases increase, things might get worse. COVID-19 cases trends, it is ups and downs time after time. For that reason, education might be affected badly or stop. Well, the people should always follow COVID-19 directives for preventing its spreading. This would help different businesses to reopen again, and things can get improved. My plans for improving the standard of living have changed, but I still have to make some adjustments though some of my plans will even never work. 

Some people complain about the services they receive at the hospital. they want to be treated well because of their pain and depression. They want to be shown compassion and be served well with a positive change. People in charge should treat them well as the medical profession is a calling rather than a business.

People living with Diabetes, Cancer, asthma and others, are treated as disabled people. They are mistreated and considered to be less important people who should be in isolation places. They should know that they are people like others, and they deserve human rights. Their problem is only a disease, but they can do even better. 

I would like to talk about people that were hurt due to stigma and corrupted people who don’t provide what people who are in trouble deserve. Some of the people living with NCDs experience social stigma because of marrying someone living without a non-communicable disease, that is too sad. Where they mistreat him/her in the family because of that, and that person faces psychological problems and might lead to misuse of medicine.

I call everyone for supporting and showing compassion to these people living with non-communicable diseases to enjoy their life. Also, people living with NCDs should follow the instructions given by the doctor, this will reduce the burden of our government to help them. People living with NCDs have the power to work and improve their standard of living, so the government should contribute less to support them. I encourage them to understand that living with NCD is not the end of the world. Family and friends of people living with non-communicable diseases should understand this and support them to find solutions.