In this moving episode, we speak with Tinotenda Dzikiti from the Zimbabwe Diabetes Association about growing up with type 1 diabetes in a low-resource setting. From missed insulin doses to waking up in a coma, Tinotenda shares the personal toll of navigating diabetes without adequate support — and how advocacy changed his life. He discusses stigma, socioeconomic barriers, and his vision for sustainable policy reform inspired by Zimbabwe’s successful HIV model.

Key Topics Discussed:

✔ Personal story of growing up with type 1 diabetes in Zimbabwe

✔ Financial pressure and the burden on families in low-income contexts

✔ Why insulin access is not enough without education and self-management tools

✔ The emotional and social impact of diabetes stigma

✔ How peer support and global networks can transform lives

✔ The power of youth-led advocacy in driving national and global change

✔ Lessons from Zimbabwe’s HIV response and how they can apply to diabetes policy

Hosts:

• Gretchen Repasky (Danish Diabetes and Endocrine Academy, Denmark)
• Newton Ngugi (World Diabetes Foundation, Kenya)

Guest: Tinotenda Dzikiti (Zimbabwe Diabetes Association, Zimbabwe)

Find more resources at:

DDEA
World Diabetes Foundation

Credits and Contact Information:

Producer and publisher: Danish Diabetes and Endocrine Academy (www.ddeacademy.dk)

Audio editor: Mediehuset Periskop

This podcast was produced in connection with the international meeting Type 1 Diabetes, Advancing a Global Roadmap for Improved and Integrated Care in Low-Resource Settings, held in early February 2025 in Copenhagen, Denmark. This meeting was organised and hosted by the World Diabetes Foundation, the Danish Diabetes and Endocrine Academy, the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Geneva, and the East African Diabetes Study Group.