Over 400 residents of Nyanya community in Abuja have benefited from a free health screening exercise organised by the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists (WAPCP), FCT Zone, in collaboration with MegaLife Sciences Limited.
The event, held at the Nyanya General Hospital, was part of activities to mark the World Diabetes Day 2025, themed; “Diabetes Across Life Stages”.
Zonal coordinator of WAPCP, Abuja Zone, Dr. Abubakar Danraka, said it was part of the college’s tradition to commemorate the World Diabetes Day annually by organising free health screenings across various communities in the FCT.
He emphasised the importance of regular health checks, noting that diabetes is a silent disease with subtle symptoms that can go unnoticed for years.
“The advantage of health checks and health screening is that you are able to know when there is a problem, not that the problem has happens before you go to hospital,” he said.
Danraka noted that the free health screening had saved participants approximately N10,000 to N15,000 each, considering the costs of consultations, tests and counselling.
Zonal Secretary of WAPCP(FCT Zone), Dr. Kayode Okeji, explained that diabetes is a silent disease with symptoms like excessive thirst, frequent urination, and increased appetite often going unnoticed until complications arise.
The WAPCP urged Nigerians to adopt healthy lifestyle habits, including regular exercise, weight control, and a balanced diet, to reduce the risk of diabetes and other non-communicable diseases.
