An A1C test allows doctors to examine glucose levels over a two-to three-month period and can be a useful tool in judging the effectiveness of a treatment plan. Diabetics used to depend only on urine tests or daily finger sticks to measure their blood sugars.
The formal economy of this region depends on agricultural exports. For example, Ethiopia is a major coffee exporter (80% of its total exports) and Somalia is a major banana and livestock exporter (roughly half of its total exports). The majority of the economy of the Horn of Africa is informal.
From the Gold Coast (Ghana) cocoa beans or cuttings were sent to other countries like Nigeria and Sierra leone. The export of cocoa from Ghana began in 1891, the official exported in 1893 (two bags exported). Ghana once provided almost half of world output. Between 1910 and 1980 Ghana was the world's largest exporter.