Conduct regular checks for diabetes prevention - Health Minister

Mr Alex Segbefia, the Minister of Health, has called on Ghanaians to maintain healthy lifestyles and conduct regular diabetes checks to ensure early detection and the prevention of the disease.

He made the call at the commemoration of the World Diabetes held at Ada in the Greater Accra Region.

The Day was held on the theme: 'Know Your Risk, Get Screened Now.'

Mr Segbefia said diabetes, which is a global concern, affects 415 million people across the world with over 14 million in Africa and 266,200 in Ghana.

He said it is estimated that the disease claims a person's life every six seconds in the world and caused about 5,000 deaths in Ghana in 2015.

He said the theme for the Day is appropriate as 1 in 2 (46 per cent) people with diabetes in the world and over 70 per cent of the diabetic cases in Ghana are undiagnosed and these cases are often detected after the death of the individual.

Mr Segbefia said the Ministry would accommodate diabetes and other non-communicable diseases unto the National Health Insurance.

He urged Ghanaians to exercise regularly, eat more vegetables, attend to regular screening, stay away from carbonated drinks and tobacco

Mrs Elizabeth Esi Denyoh, President of the National Diabetes Association, commended the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, for helping the body to screen Senior High Schools students in Greater Accra, Central, and Eastern Region.

In a speech read on her behalf, Dr Owen Laws Kaluwa, WHO Country Representative for Ghana, called on government to accelerate the prevention and control of diabetes and other non-communicable diseases by adopting policies and enacting appropriate legislation and programmes that would lead the increase in healthy diets and reduction to the exposure to tobacco.

He said the WHO would continue to support member states to develop their national policies, strategies including scientific guidelines for the prevention and control of diabetes and other non-communicable diseases.

As part of the activities to mark the World Diabetes Day, over 34,000 people in all the surrounding villages of the Ada were screened on their sugar level and blood pressure.

Diabetes is a chronic disease characterised by elevated levels of blood glucose. It may be either be due to inadequate production of insulin by the pancreas (type 1 diabetes) or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces (type 2 diabetes). Most diabetes cases are type 2 and are largely preventable.

Over a period of time, raised blood glucose may lead to serious damage to nerves and blood vessels leading to complications such as visual impairment and blindness, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure and lower limb amputation.

November 14, has been designated by World Health Organization (WHO) as World Diabetes Day, to create awareness about the dangers of the disease and to educate the public on the need for early treatment.