The Executive Director of Health Matters Incorporated, Mr. Peter Ujomu, has decried the rise in diabetes incidence in the country, expressing the need to contain it through affordable and accessible health care delivery.
Speaking during the donation of medical equipment to two primary health care centres in Lagos State recently, Ujomu noted that diabetes care is centralised in general and teaching hospitals, which are sparsely located in urban areas and almost non-existent in most semi-urban and rural areas.
He said, “Although there is dearth of information on the prevalence of diabetes in Nigeria, the IDF Diabetes Atlas 2011 estimates that 3.2 million Nigerians are living with diabetes.”
The HMI boss said the rising prevalence of the disease in developing countries was closely associated with increased population, ageing, urbanisation, westernisation and changing lifestyles.
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In order to bridge the gap in the care and management of diabetes in Lagos State, and also in order to bring diabetes care closer to the people, HMI, with support from the World Diabetes Foundation, is partnering with the Lagos State Ministry of Health and the Primary Health Care Board to establish model diabetes clinics in two primary health care centres in Epe and Badagry,” Ujomu said.
In order to bridge the gap in the care and management of diabetes in Lagos State, and also in order to bring diabetes care closer to the people, HMI, with support from the World Diabetes Foundation, is partnering with the Lagos State Ministry of Health and the Primary Health Care Board to establish model diabetes clinics in two primary health care centres in Epe and Badagry,” Ujomu said. The diabetes clinics are integrated into the state’s Non-communicable Disease Programme. And, as part of efforts to increase awareness about the disease, HMI, working in collaboration with the World Diabetes Foundation, has donated medical equipment to two PHCs in the state.
Ujomu said, “The choice of the PHCs was borne out of a carefully conducted study among 272 PHCs located in the 20 LGAs of the state. The criteria for their selection included the capacity to use the facilities, availability of revolving funds scheme, and availability of functional non communicable disease programme in the PHCs.”
Health Matters Incorporated donated two weighing scales, two height measuring scales, a set of computers, furniture, two glucometers and 25 packs of DM strips, among others, to each of the centres.
Dr. Hakeem Bello, who represented the PHC Board, urged the recipients to ensure effective management of the items for the overall good of the people of the state.
Towards this end, HMI, in partnership with the Primary Health Care Board, has trained health personnel and community health extension workers in 15 local government areas.
Also, the NGO has initiated community sensitisation efforts, which involve community diabetes screening using specialised mobile clinics and setting-up of screening camps.
“So far, 18,344 persons have been reached,” Ujomu said.
BY: SOLA AYO-ADERELE
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