World Diabetes Day: Medical experts call for regular check-up

Ugochukwu Iwuchukwu

The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, ACPN, has called on Nigerians to go for a regular medical check-up in a bid to prevent diabetes.

The Secretary of Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria ACPN, Rumukwurushi Zone, NKIRU MMADUABUCHI during a free diabetes awareness campaign on Thursday 14th November in Elimgbu, Port Harcourt, advised Nigerians to reduce intake of processed foods.

NKIRU MMADUABUCHI said diabetes is a major killer in Nigeria, adding that living a healthy life is the best way to prevent the disease.

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She said people with a history of diabetes in their families should be watchful of their lifestyle.

”We are here today to mark the World Diabetes Day, we are using it as a means of enlightening the public on what diabetes is, why it should be prevented and why we should work hard to live a healthy life.

”Our message today is that one diabetes is preventable, secondly, diabetes runs in the family. So if one of your relations has had it, then you should work hard on yourself to see that your lifestyle is aimed at preventing diabetes because it’s something that can be inherited from one person to another” he said.

In her comment, the National Publicity Secretary of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria PSN, Ijeoma Okey-Ewurum said poor investment in the health sector in Nigeria is one of the leading cause of the spread of diabetes in the country.

Ijeoma Okey-Ewurum said poor funding in the primary health care sector has led to the outbreak of numerous preventable diseases in the country.

Our correspondent reports that the pharmacists also conduct free glucose and blood pressure test during the awareness campaign.

In the meantime, a Consultant Family Physician with the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Dr Barile Edward Ikpae has urged Families to learn more about the warning signs of diabetes.

Dr Barile Edward Ikpae who is also the also Chairman, Society of Family Physician of Nigeria, said one in two people currently living with diabetes are undiagnosed.

He said Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness, amputation, heart disease, and kidney failure and advised Nigerians to maintain a healthy lifestyle as a way of preventing diseases.

World diabetes day is marked every 14th of November by the world health organization to raise awareness about the disease and advise people on how to prevent it.

The theme for this year is “protect your family”.