The United Nations estimates that the population of Nigeria as of September 2017 was 193.3 million. According to its meta-analysis, 11.2 million Nigerians (1 out of every 17 adults) are living with diabetes. Little wonder the Minister of State for Health, Hon. Ekumankama Joseph Nkama, emphasised that increased access to diabetes education among the populace is critical to the prevention and management of the disease.
Diabetes is a long-term disease in which the body cannot regulate the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood. Diabetes is also a complicated disease. Type 1 diabetes is not preventable. Type 2 diabetes is often preventable through a healthy diet, regular physical activity, maintaining a normal body weight, and avoiding tobacco use.
Diabetes is a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke and lower limb amputations. It can be treated, and its complications can be avoided or delayed with regular screening and treatment.
People with diabetes should seek regular screening for complications to aid in early detection. This includes screening for kidney disease, regular eye exams, and foot assessments. Quitting smoking also reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 30-40 per cent.
Diabetes is associated with about twice the risk of tuberculosis disease and a higher risk of multidrug-resistant TB. People with both TB and diabetes are twice as likely to die during TB treatment and have twice the risk of TB relapse after treatment completion.
Only about 50 percent of people with type 2 diabetes get the insulin they need, often because their country’s health systems cannot afford it. And while traditionally associated with adulthood, diabetes is increasingly affecting younger populations. The frequency of diabetes is rising around the world, and studies are showing children are at increasing risk of developing the disease.
It becomes increasingly important to empower individuals with the knowledge to recognise risk factors, symptoms, and preventive measures. Public campaigns, educational initiatives, and community outreach efforts will take center stage in creating a collective consciousness about the impact of diabetes on lives.
There are many popular myths about diabetes and its management. Here are some facts you should know about diabetes:
I eat a lot of sugar, so I am worried I’ll get diabetes: Eating sugar does not cause diabetes. But you should still cut back on sweets and sugary beverages.
No one in my family has diabetes, so I won’t get the disease: Having a parent or sibling with diabetes indeed increases your risk for getting diabetes. Family history is a risk factor for both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. However, many people with diabetes have no close family members with diabetes.
I was told I have diabetes, so now I’ll have to eat a special diet: People with diabetes eat the same foods that everyone eats. The American Diabetes Association no longer recommends specific amounts of carbohydrates, fat, or protein to eat. But they do suggest that people with diabetes get their carbohydrates from vegetables, whole grains, fruits, and legumes. Avoid foods that are high in fat, sodium, and sugar. These recommendations are similar to what everyone should be eating, not just diabetic patients.
Prevention
Halting the rise in diabetes is possible and goes hand in hand with implementing strategies, such as:
-Prevention of diabetes and its risk factors, especially overweight/obesity and insufficient physical activity.
-Screening for diabetes in the general population and closely monitoring the population at risk.
-Improving the diagnostic capacity of health services for diabetes.
-Continuous monitoring of people living with diabetes.
-The capacity for referral and care at the secondary health care level.
-Access to quality diabetes education, which guarantees adequate training for the healthcare team, people living with diabetes, their immediate environment, their caregivers, and society in general.
-Access to essential diabetes medicines and technologies, including insulin.
-Information systems for data collection for monitoring and surveillance of diabetes.
Diabetes care should be part of preparedness and response to health emergencies. People living with diabetes must be guaranteed the uninterrupted availability of their medicines in situations of this type.
On this year’s occasion of World Diabetes Day, the International Diabetes Federation is warning that one in 10 adults worldwide has diabetes and over 90 percent has type 2 diabetes. Yet, close to half are not yet diagnosed. “In many cases, type 2 diabetes and its complications can be delayed or prevented by adopting and maintaining healthy habits. Knowing your risk and what to do is important to support prevention, early diagnosis and timely treatment,” it says.
