WHO declares Diabetes at its theme for 2016’s world health day

World Health Organisation (WHO) is focusing on Diabetes as the theme for 2016 World Health day, slated for the 7th day of April.

WHO says the choice of the disease was because “diabetes epidemic is rapidly increasing in many countries, with the documented increase most dramatic in low- and middle-income countries.
As such WHO has set up goals “to increase awareness about the rise in diabetes, and its staggering burden and consequences, in particular in low-and middle-income countries; to trigger a set of specific, effective and affordable actions to tackle diabetes which will include steps to prevent diabetes and diagnose, treat and care for people with diabetes; as well as to launch the first Global report on diabetes, which will describe the burden and consequences of diabetes and advocate for stronger health systems to ensure improved surveillance, enhanced prevention, and more effective management of diabetes”.
Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces.
Dr. Oguntade, a Family Physician and the Medical Director of Hammab Medical Center, who spoke in an interview with our correspondent, disclosed that diabetes is a metabolic disease which affects not only adults but also children as well as pregnancy.
The Family Physician explained further that diabetes is of two types- the Type 1 and type 2 diabetes but children are susceptible to the type 1 diabetes while adults are at greater risk of the type 2 diabetes. Family history accounts for the greatest risk of diabetes especially in children, babies above 4.5kg are also at exposé to diabetes, while in adult intake of alcohol, smoking and sedentary life style are some of the risk factors to diabetes. He said
Dr. Oguntade also identified excessive urination, excessive thirst, excessive sweating, weight gain, and tingling sensation in the foot, blurred vision and inability to feel things at the foot as some of the symptoms of diabetes.
He disclosed further that an untreated or poorly controlled diabetes might affect every organ in the body and can result in blindness, heart disease, kidney failure , poor wound healing, loss of pregnancy as a well as death.
“Although there is an increase rate of death as result of diabetes, early diagnosed and high suspicion of index (high awareness) as done during the time of Ebola can help to control or manage diabetics”
While urging individuals to take up early diagnosis reduce free sugar intake, take balance diet as well as do regular exercises in order to prevent diabetes, he also call on government to sponsor massive awareness, offer free screening and restrict food preservatives as well as herbal alcoholic concoctions for the later has caused more harm than good to the health.