4 Million Ghanaians are diabetic
About four million Ghanaians have been identified as living with diabetes, with 34 per cent of them dying every year, the Minister of Health, Mr Alex Segbefia, has said.
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“This alarming figure is the main reason why we need to intensify our efforts in tackling diabetes and other non-communicable diseases affecting the health of the individual, communities and society at large,” he stressed.
Delivering an address to commemorate the 2016 World Diabetes Day in Accra yesterday, he said although Ghana had made progress in coming up with policies and strategies to tackle diabetes and other chronic diseases, there was still more to be done, considering the increasing trend.
Interventions
He, therefore, urged the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to consider highly subsidised treatment for people suffering from diabetes.
Health facilities, he said, should also institute diabetes clinics and provide free services for people who would walk into their facilities.
“The health promotion and education departments should also double their efforts in educating the masses on the prevention and control of diabetes and other non-communicable diseases,” he said.
Mr Segbefia charged civil society organisations to educate people on the harmful effects of poor living, including poor diet, physical inactivity, lack of rest, alcohol use and smoking, on the human body, society and the country as a whole.
Effects of diabetes
The President of the National Diabetes Association of Ghana, Ms Elizabeth Esi Denyoh, said diabetes was a life-threatening condition that was caused by the body’s inability to utilise sugar, leading to a build-up of sugar in the bloodstream.
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She said three out of nine Ghanaians suffered from diabetes, saying it was a chronic condition which could result in other health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, amputation, stroke, impotence and eye diseases that could lead to blindness.
She said research had established that only 10 per cent of the cases were diagnosed early for proper medical care, pointing out that the remaining 90 per cent were diagnosed late.
Through the work of the association, she said, children and adults living with diabetes received insulin, glucometers and strips free of charge under the auspices of the Life-for-a-child Foundation.
“The association, among other things, is ensuring that people desist from lifestyles that predispose them to diabetes condition. Also, diabetes screening is one of the activities of the association to help diagnose people with diabetes condition early,” she said.
Subsidies
In view of the high cost of glucometers and strips for self-monitoring of blood glucose, she said, the Ministry of Health and the government should take a critical look at subsidising those items that were imported into the country.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative in Ghana, Dr Owen Kaluwa, stressed the need for urgent and concrete actions to tackle the rising problem of diabetes.
Addressing diabetes, he said, required a national commitment by the government and all stakeholders and called for the implementation of the globally agreed actions to prevent and control the disease.