Diabetes Help and Enlightenment Organisation (DHEO), an NGO, has urged government to establish modern diabetic management centres across the country to reduce the burden of treatment and care experienced by patients.
Mrs Aisha Ali, the Founder and Coordinator of the organisation, made the appeal at the launching of “Diabetes Enlight Magazine”, published by DHEO on Monday in Abuja.
Ali further called for recruitment of well trained diabetic nurses, diabetic care teams, adequate endocrinologist and podiatrist, among others, in public hospitals.
She described the inadequacy of these specialists as a major setback preventing the nation from succeeding in proper diabetes management.
The founder lamented the rate of death of diabetes patients on daily basis in various hospitals across the country due to negligence by health personnel in giving glucose drips in the event of high sugar level as well as ignorance of patients of been diabetic.
She noted that a lot of patients die on daily basis simply because they could not afford to pay hospital bills especially when there was need for further investigation to detect risks of early complications.
Ali also identified other associated causes of daily deaths of patients as lack of genuine and affordable drugs or insulin to live on even while under medical prescription.
“We all know that no drugs or insulin talk less of meters or strips are affordable or even subsidised in this country.
“We only hear of free of everything that has to do with the health of diabetics in other parts of the world,’’ she said.
According to her, there is an immediate and urgent need for government’s intervention to reflect on its public health agenda.
“There is need for modern equipped diabetic management centres, trained diabetic nurses, diabetic care teams, enough endocrinologist and podiatrist, among others, in our public hospitals; as this is a setback preventing us from succeeding in proper diabetes management in the country.
“DHEO is endowed with dedicated members including medical consultants, pharmacists, endocrinologists, care givers and some diabetes patients that have managed the condition successfully with a common goal to bring diabetes care to the light of public health agenda in Nigeria,’’ Ali said.
The coordinator explained that the magazine was aimed at providing adequate educational information on diabetes care such as it exists in other parts of the world.
Ali, who specifically identified education as key in prevention and management of non-communicable diseases including diabetes, further said the magazine would also enlighten and empower the larger segment of the society on how to guard against diabetes and its management.
“We all know that knowledge is the power to live well with diabetes and other non-communicable diseases and to have the key for better health.
“We believe the magazine will serve as source of not only basic educational material on diabetes but contain most current and authentic information that will stand the test of time to benefit not only people living with diabetes but the society at large.
“DHEO is determined to embrace more specialist, other healthcare personnel, patients, families, care and supporters to assist in achieving all its set objectives such as education and enlightenment on diabetes,” she said.
(NAN)
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