Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Diabetes Management
• Healthcare Access

Background:

• Study focuses on challenges faced by diabetic patients in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• Addresses difficulties in accessing quality diabetes care and treatment adherence.
• Examines solutions and challenges within two pilot health centers.

Purpose of the Study:

• Identify barriers to healthcare access and treatment compliance for diabetic patients in Goma.
• Evaluate innovative approaches implemented by pilot health centers to overcome these barriers.
• Provide insights for improving diabetes care in resource-limited settings.

Main Methods:

• Conducted 38 semi-structured interviews with diabetic patients, local authorities, patient relatives, and healthcare personnel in Goma.
• Utilized an inductive analysis method to interpret qualitative data from interviews.
• Focused data collection within two pilot health centers offering diabetes care.

Main Results:

• Identified four key barriers: cost of care, dietary adherence, preference for traditional medicine, and disease acceptance.
• Highlighted three innovative strategies: flexible payment options, humanized patient care, and multidisciplinary healthcare teams.
• Demonstrated the potential of these approaches in improving diabetes management.

Conclusions:

• Significant barriers hinder diabetes care access and follow-up in Goma.
• Pilot health centers are testing promising innovative approaches to address these challenges.
• Further research with direct observation and quantitative data is recommended to deepen understanding.