*world record hits 37m
By; NICHOLAS DEKERA, Kaduna
Medical studies have raised concerns over growing number of Nigerians with diabetes, pointing out that out of every five Nigerians, one is diabetic and out of that total, over 6% have eyes complications called Retinopathy.
This was the position of Dr. Lilian Ndaks, a guest lecturer at the World Diabetes Day celebration organized by the National Eye Centre Diabetes-Militus Initiative on November 14, 2022 at the National Eye Centre, Kaduna.
Ndaks maintained that awareness creation against diabetes is one quick strategy to reduce irreversible blindness.
Earlier, Dr. Paulinus Unung stated that, “the target is the grassroots, to ensure everybody knows about it, nobody is spared.”
Unung maintained that, “this year’s Diabetes Day is about educating people, public enlightenment on diabetes should be enshrined in health education, so that people practice abstinence from refined food, regular exercise for the body to take off the risk factor of inactivity.”
He tasked all well meaning Nigerians to form platforms to reach out to the rural areas, stressing that puting things in the right perspectives via reaching out can spread the message of healthy life style.
Also speaking on behalf of the participants, Dr. Patricia Ella Idoko, a consultant and family physician, re-emphasized that this year’s message is centered on, “Access to Diabetes Education since the world record has already hit 37 million, studies indicate that one third of the number not on medication and those on drugs are not eating right”.
Dr. Ella tasked health communicators to sustain communication on diabetes in local languages like Hausa and others, stressing that early detection of diabetes saves lives.
