The world’s most extensive diabetes awareness campaign, reaching a global audience of over 1 billion people in more than 161 countries. The campaign provides a global platform for people with diabetes, health professionals, diabetes advocates, media, the public and government organisations to raise diabetes awareness and improve the lives of people with diabetes.
The Light Diabetes Organisation, a Non-profit organization with a focus on the management of diabetes and other endocrine and metabolism conditions, took the sensitization and free screening campaign on diabetes in Ibusa townand its environs for public education to mark World Diabetes which is annually celebrated on the 14th November..
The theme for diabetes awareness month is “Education to Protect Tomorrow”, which The Light Diabetes Organisation says remains its core activity in its efforts to provide quality care for Nigerians living with diabetes while also creating awareness of its growing increase in the country.
The Light Diabetes Organisation(TLDO) Ibusa screened over 200 diabetes people free of charge to commemorate 2025 World Diabetes Day (WDD), and promised that the screening would be carried out from time to time.
The Co-Founder, The Light Diabetes Organisation, Princess (Mrs) Tonia Nkem Akindele(nee Eluemelu, stressed in her address the need to educate the people to know their diabetes status to prevent avoidable complications.
Akindele stated this on Friday during a sensitization and free screening campaign on diabetes organised by The Light Diabetes Organisation , with the theme: “Education to protect Tomorrow”.”
She noted that this year’s theme, “Education to protect Tomorrow” emphasised the importance of tackling the challenges faced by individuals, communities, and health systems to access diabetes prevention and management.
Akindele stressed the need for government and relevant stakeholders to raise awareness campaigns on early detection, saying ‘prevention is better cure.’
The Founder advised the people to come for diabetes screening at least twice a year and encouraged them to engage in regular exercise and proper diet.
“If you exercise, watch your diet, control your weight and take the prescribed medicine by your doctor, you can make a big difference in reducing or preventing the damage diabetes can do,”she said.
Akindele said that It’s also opportunity for people to know their status, especially given findings that 1 out of every 2 persons living with diabetes do not know they have it. Yet, early detection of diabetes remains crucial in the prevention of deadly complications,” the statement read in parts.
It further noted that persons with uncontrolled diabetes would develop a wide range of complications linked with the disease, some of which could lead to lengthy hospital stays, blindness, foot amputation or death.
Akindele noted that The Light Diabetes Organisation were able to screened over 200 people free of charge to commemorate the 2025 WDD, promised that the screening would be carried out from time to time in Ibusa.
Responding on behalf of Ibusa community, Mr Emma Amatokwu aka Kwasa, thank Prince and Princess (Mrs)James Oludare Akindele, founders of (The Light Diabetes Organisation) for taking this sensitization and free screening campaign on diabetes , he also urged governments to address the rising issue of diabetic in the country.
Amatokwu noted that diabetic drugs are very costly, especially in the midst of the current inflation and economic hardships, and urged the government to subsidize the drugs to enable indigent citizens access it.
She urged the people to take the advantage of this free screening by The Light Diabetes Organisation, noting that many people would have diabetes for years before they showed symptoms and by the time they are diagnosed, some people already have eye, kidney, blood vessels, gum or nerve damage caused by diabetes. which can increase the risk of heart and kidney failure, stroke, foot ulcers, and limb amputation, among others.
Also speaking, Oburutu David who benefited from the free screening, thanked The Light Diabetes Organisation for choosing Ibusa for the outreach. He said the intervention would go a long way to help the people know their status and better manage their health. He advised the people of Ibusa to take advantage of the opportunity to get tested and receive free treatment .
A 75-year-old diabetic patient, Mama Jane Okafor commended The Light Diabetes Organisation for the initiative and appealed to governments to subsidize the drugs for them. The residents who turned out in large numbers for the screening exercise appreciated the management of The Light Diabetes Organisation for the gesture.