The Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in Sekondi recorded a total of 554 diabetes cases in two years, with 38 patients having their legs amputated.

Dr Paul Kwaw Ntodi, Medical Director of the Hospital, who announced this on Tuesday, said the hospital recorded 255 cases of the disease with 27 amputated legs in 2012, while 299 cases with 11 patients amputated in 2013.

He described the situation as “very bad” when the GH¢140, 000 Diabetes Support Centre was inaugurated with the launch of Base of the Pyramid Project for the Hospital.

The project is being implemented by Novo Nordisk, in collaboration with Palb Pharmaceuticals, the Diabetes Association and the Diabetes Youth Care.

Diabetes is the common term for several metabolic disorders in which the body no longer produces insulin or uses the insulin it produces ineffectively, medical experts say.

It is characterised by abnormally high blood sugar levels.

Symptoms include frequent urination, extreme thirst and hunger, weight loss, fatigue, numbness, sores that are slow heal and increased infections.

Dr Ntodi encouraged patients to report illnesses to the hospital early for diagnosis and treatment as delays often cause complications resulting in amputation.

He said the One Stop Centre would serve as a research and training point for doctors, nurses and paramedics on diabetes to educate patients on how to manage the disease to live longer.

Dr Emmanuel Tinkorang, Regional Director of Health Services, said diabetes was manageable if diagnosed properly, therefore, he advised patients to religiously take expert advice seriously.

He expressed gratitude to the donors for their support to save lives, saying resources to manage diabetes keep on dwindling so it had come at an opportune time.

Mr Alex Ameyaw, Regional Manager for the West/Central Africa of Novo Nordisk, said plans were advanced to open diabetes centres in the Northern, Brong Ahafo and other areas.

He, however, emphasized that the establishment of the centres was based on the interest shown by authorities of the health facilities because on completion it would be handed over to them to manage.

Mr Ameyaw said more than 382 million adults suffer from diabetes worldwide but one in 12 adults only know they have the non-communicable disease, thus putting the rest at risk.

He advised that people should seek periodic medical examination to know their status on diseases for early treatment because many diseases are curable.

Madam Linda Kafui Abban-Foli, Commercial Manager at the Danish Embassy, expressed the willingness of the Embassy to support in various ways to ensure that the disease becomes manageable.

Novo Nordisk, headquartered in Denmark, is a global healthcare company with 90 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care.