The Nigerian Medical Association has criticised lack of a national response to halt the rise of diabetes, despite a warning by epidemiologists about an epidemic of non-communicable diseases.
This comes as doctors begin a weeklong large-scale community screening for diabetes and related ailments and complications in Sokoto on April 24.
In a statement marking the World Health Day, the NMA President, Dr Kayode Obembe, said: “Diabetes is not just a medical issue but one with a huge multi-sectoral and socioeconomic dimension and severe burden on the health system and national economy, through direct medical expenditures and loss of man hours and wages,”.
He said more than 1.56 million-around two out every 100 Nigerians-live with the condition and spend up to N53,000 yearly for treatment. NMA said due to availability, affordability and accessibility of efficient and effective healthcare delivery, majority of the over 40,000 Nigerians who died from the condition in 2015 could have been saved, not forgetting about one million who have the disease but are yet to be diagnosed and treated, and another estimated 3.85 million people with impaired glucose tolerance - a pre-diabetic condition.
The World Health Day this year is themed, “Halt the rise-Beat Diabetes”, in an effort to raise awareness on the prevalence of diabetes, its confounding burden and implications, especially in low-and middle-income countries.
It is also aimed at initiating and scaling up a set of specific, effective and affordable activities to tackle the scourge, including steps to prevent diabetes and diagnose, treat and care for people with diabetes, according to Obembe.
By Judd-Leonard Ok
Daily Trust News
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