The Kano state commissioner of health, Dr Abubakar Yusuf, has said diabetes can be treated and its consequences can be avoided or delayed with a healthy diet.
According to him, other factors include physical activity, maintaining an average body weight, avoiding tobacco use, regular screening, medication use, and treatment of complications.
Dr Yusuf made this known on Thursday while commemorating the 2024 World Diabetes Day, marked in the state with a health walk organised by the ministry in collaboration with the Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation (HSDF).
The commissioner explained that diabetes, when not diagnosed and managed on time, can lead to blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke, other cardiovascular events and lower limb amputation.
He further revealed that, worldwide, in 2021, about 537 million people were living with the illness, with a projection of an increase of 46 per cent from 2021 to 2045, rising to 784 million.
“But the increase may be up to 129% in sub-Saharan Africa. (International Diabetes Federation Diabetes Atlas 10th ed, 2021).
“It is important to note that Diabetes is affecting men, women, and children of all ages. The most at risk are people aged 40–59, though other age groups are also affected.”
He noted, “There is no published study on the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in Kano; however, the prevalence may differ slightly from that of Sub-Saharan Africa.
While urging the public to prioritise their well-being, Dr Yusuf said millions of people with illness face daily challenges in managing their condition.
He said that as part of the government’s effort to tackle the health challenge, it is involved in the ongoing Project 10 Million campaign. In this campaign, the state is screening over 750,000 for Diabetes and Hypertension for free and offering free treatment and medication for the aged through the Kano State Health Trust Fund (KHETFUND) and Kano State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (KSCHMA) schemes.
Meanwhile, the commissioner, after receiving a donation of diabetes kits from HSDF, thanked Governor Abba Yusuf and other development partners for their immense support of healthcare delivery in the state.
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