Pharmacists under the auspices of West African PostGraduate College of Pharmacists, WAPCP,Abuja Zone have called on the government to promote free awareness and screening in the management of diabetes in the country.
The Zonal Coordinator of the WAPCP, Abuja Zone, Dr Abubakar Danraka made this call during the Free Diabetes Screening and Dispensing of free medicine to indigent patients at the Maitama District Hospital, Abuja in commemoration of the World Diabetes Day, organised by WAPCP in collaboration with Megalife Science Ltd.
Danraka stated that the prevalence of diabetes in Nigeria is 3.6 per cent in age 20 to 79 adding that the government can go a long way to reduce these numbers if it organizes free screening and management in terms of medication for the masses.
He explained that this year’s theme, Access to Diabetes Education, coincides with the event which was organised in order to bring to light the public health issues on diabetes as a lot of studies and surveys have revealed that enlightenment improves management of diabetes and promotion of healthy living.
Danraka added that apart from the Health Talk in three different clinics in the hospital, the pharmacists will organise free screening for over 500 indigent patients and end the event with engagement among the fellows to improve their capacity and professional service delivery.
Also speaking, one of the fellows and a consultant in Clinical Pharmacy, Ruth Ajayi urged Nigerians to cultivate a healthy lifestyle, urging them to also exercise as it helps control blood sugar levels in the body.
In her part, a Head of Dietetics Unit, Maitama District Hospital, Hajiya Aisha Riji explained that diabetes can be managed by modifying the food the patients eat adding that the patients should also eat lots of vegetables and fruits.
Also speaking during his welcome address, Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Imuentinyan Igbinovia commended the pharmacists for organising the event which he said will go a long way to enlighten the public on how to manage the illness which could affect anyone.
The World Diabetes Day is commemorated on November 14 annually to draw attention to issues of paramount importance to the diabetes world and keeps diabetes firmly in the public and political spotlight.
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