The General Hospital Ijede, in collaboration with mDoc (Mobile Doctor) Health Care, has screened more than 400 beneficiaries in the just-concluded two-day free diabetes screening exercise organised for members of the public.
Speaking at the programme held recently to commemorate the World Diabetes Day at the hospital, the Deputy Medical Director, GH, Ijede, Dr Olumuyiwa Balogun Oluwa, said the essence of the screening was not only to sensitise the public about the disease but also to join the rest of the world in confronting diabetes as a critical global health issue.
Dr. Oluwa defined diabetes as a chronic health condition that occurs when the blood glucose or blood sugar is too high because the pancreas is no longer able to produce insulin, or when the body cannot make good use of the insulin it produces.
His words; “The most common types of diabetes include Type 1 diabetes, a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin and this occurs most frequently in children and adolescents. Type 2 diabetes is also a chronic condition that affects the way the body processes blood sugar; it is more common in adults and accounts for about 90 percent of all diabetes cases.”
He also explained that Prediabetes occurs when the blood sugar is high but not high enough to be Type 2, while Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy and it is most likely to disappear afterwards.
The Deputy Managing Director noted that early signs and symptoms to watch out for include frequent urination, fatigue, slow healing of wounds and cuts, blurred vision, unexplained weight loss and so on.
Dr. Balogun Oluwa explained that family history, high blood pressure, age (45 years and above), overweight, race (being an African-American) and smoking are some of the predisposing factors of diabetes.
Stating that eating foods that help keep the blood sugar and inflammation low can dramatically reduce the risk of complications, Balogun-Oluwa affirmed that poorly controlled or managed diabetes can lead to complications to other body organs and tissues like the heart, kidneys, eyes and nerves.
He urged those without the disease to cultivate the habit of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and going for regular check-ups and appealed to those who have been diagnosed with diabetes to take their medications as prescribed by the doctor, maintain and cultivate healthy eating habits, eat adequate fruits and vegetables, engage in regular exercise and ensure they visit the hospital for follow-up.
The Head Coach of mDoc Health Care, Mrs Ifeoma Nehimaya, described the free diabetes screening as a huge success as beneficiaries were able to know their health status.
