By IFEOMA IKEM
IN commemoration of the 2015 World Diabetic Day, more than 120 people have benefitted from Hypertension and Diabetes screening organized by the Rotary Club of Palmgrove Estate, Lagos.
Rtn Suresh Nair, the Chairman, Service Project, who represented the President of the Club, Pradeep Pahalwani, said that the event was organized to give opportunity to many people to benefit from free hypertension and Diabetes screening with free drugs.
According to Nair, the importance of people knowing their health status from time to time cannot be undermined. He said, “Today is World Diabetes Day and we have on ground a Special Doctor and para-medics to check people’s sugar level and blood pressure for free.
“The World Health Organisation (WHO) says that the number of people with diabetes is projected to increase alarmingly from 457 million in 2014 to 592 million by 2035 if we do not act now to arrest this trend.
“The importance of people knowing their health status is to avoid crisis and this is the reason we have organised this event today; for citizens who cannot assess healthcare service to be screened for hypertension and diabetes and given free drugs,” Nair said.
DrLatha Ravikumar of the BT Diagnostic Centre, LASUTH said that there was urgent need to call attention to the importance of regular sugar checking. According to her, the prevalence of diabetes in Nigeria is estimated to be around 20 per cent. On its management and treatment, she said that diabetes could be prevented but not treated as it had no cure.
“Presently there is no cure for diabetes; researches are still ongoing, so perhaps very soon, there may be a breakthrough in the cure for it. Diabetes is Correcting the sugar level of a patient requires that the patient must be on appropriate diet, exercise and stress free life with medications”.
Speaking further, Dr. Ravikumar said that the best way to tackle diabetes was through its prevention. “The best way out of diabetes is through prevention which includes change of lifestyle, exercising regularly, weight reduction and eating habits because diabetes is a silent killer. “People should avoid too much carbohydrates, junk foods and carbonated soft drinks.Our advice is also that patients do not use too much of carbohydrate in their food and should also avoid things that are rich in sugar including mineral or juice.
Ravikumar advised people with diabetes to avoid stress and register early at a government hospital where he or she can visit once in a month for adequate monitoring and treatment.