By: Ike Philip Abiagom
World Diabetes Day – marked every year on 14 November – is 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.
As part of activities to mark the 2024 World Diabetes Day (WDD), The Light Diabetes Organisation, a private hospital with a focus on the management of diabetes and other endocrine and metabolism conditions, took the sensitisation and free screening campaign on diabetes to Ibusa town market(Aisha Eke) in Oshimili North local Government Area of Delta State for public education.
The theme for diabetes awareness month and World Diabetes Day 2024 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 2024 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 Thursday during a sensitisation and free screening campaign on diabetes organised by The Light Diabetes Organisation in Aisha Eke Ibusa to mark the 2024 World Diabetes Day (WDD), 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 2024 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 sensitisation and free screening campaign on diabetes to the Aisha Eke (Ibusa market), 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 subsidise the drugs to enable indigent citizens access it.
He 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 subsidise 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.