[ti:Mobile App Helps Diabetics During Ramadan in Senegal] [ar:Jonathan Evans] [al:Technology Report] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]From VOA Learning English, [00:02.32]this is the Technology Report. [00:04.90]During the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, [00:09.34]Muslims are not supposed to eat or drink anything all day. [00:15.17]This is called fasting. [00:18.21]People with diabetes can become sick when they fast. [00:23.80]Now some African diabetes patients [00:27.49]can receive help with their health [00:29.97]before, during and after Ramadan. [00:33.65]Senegal has become the first French speaking country [00:38.40]in Africa to use a wireless phone application, called mRamadan. [00:44.12]The new application or app sends free text messages everyday [00:51.30]with fasting advice for diabetics. [00:54.70]The mRamadan app is part of the Be He@lthy Be Mobile campaign, [01:00.82]from the World Health Organization [01:03.25]and the International Telecommunication Union. [01:07.20]The campaign goal is to reduce the large number [01:12.00]of emergency hospital visits during Ramadan. [01:15.48]Diabetics who are testing the new app [01:19.20]say it has been quite helpful, like 26 year-old Marie Gadio. [01:25.98]She found out she had diabetes when she was 13. [01:30.26]She says living with diabetes during Ramadan is not easy. [01:36.13]"Certain diabetics just fast as they want, [01:41.52]without knowing anything, [01:43.22]but now our technology is developing [01:46.07]and people can take advice from this program," Gadio said. [01:48.92]There are exceptions to the rule about fasting during Ramadan. [01:54.44]The very young and old do not have to fast. [01:59.17]Pregnant women and people with poor health [02:03.15]often are permitted to eat during the day. [02:06.19]But many diabetics say they do try to fast during Ramadan. [02:12.46]They also sometimes stop taking insulin, [02:16.55]a medicine used to control blood sugar levels. [02:20.34]Dr. Maimouna Ndour Mbaye studies diabetes [02:26.41]at the Marc Sankale National Diabetes Center [02:30.35]in Senegal's capital, Dakar. [02:32.89]She says diabetics face a number of problems while fasting. [02:39.07]"The first risk is hypoglycemia, [02:42.79]which can be very harmful for the brain, in particular. [02:47.47]There is also a risk of hyperglycemia, [02:50.81]because when they fast, their diabetes is less controlled. [02:54.95]They cannot take their medication on a regular basis. [02:59.43]And this is a risk..." Mbaye said. [03:02.23]Dr. Mbaye says diabetics are also at an increased risk of dehydration, [03:09.40]which is sickness from a lack of water. [03:12.39]She says that all diabetics should talk with their doctors [03:17.52]before deciding if it is safe not to eat and drink. [03:21.86]Some of the mRamadan messages remind people [03:26.90]to drink at least one liter of water each morning [03:30.83]before beginning the fast. [03:33.07]Other messages tell how to make changes to medication use. [03:38.86]The advice also advises diabetics [03:43.14]not to eat too many sugary foods during the breaks in fasting. [03:48.43]And that's the VOA Learning English Technology Report. [03:53.95]I'm Jonathan Evans.