World Diabetes Day 2021: CBC Health Services Invites Everyone to know their Blood Sugar
Know Your Blood Sugar and keep the doctor’s advice to beat Diabetes was the mantra, which Nkwen Baptist Hospital and other institutions of the CBC Health Services chanted during this year’s World Diabetes Day week-long commemorations. The event, which holds annually on November 14, has as theme, “Access to Diabetes Care, If not Now When?”
Together with Persons Living with Diabetes, the CBC Health Services used this occasion to intensify her efforts in raising awareness on Diabetes, promote screening, early detection, diagnosis, and institute treatment early to avoid devastating complications of diabetes.
Diabetes is a public health concern across the globe affecting people disproportionally and the prevalence continues to rise. According to the International Diabetes Federation, the prevalence of diabetes in Cameroon is 6.0 % (615,300 people), sadly, 80% of people living with diabetes are currently unaware. If diabetes is left untreated, it can lead to devastating consequences.
Dr. Noelar Mundih, Medical Doctor at the Nkwen Baptist Hospital Bamenda, while raising awareness in churches on November 14, 2021, told scores of people to go to the nearest hospital if they get tired and thirsty regularly, drink water and urinate frequently or find ants settling on their urine. She said, “While at any hospital, immediately ask for your blood sugar levels to be measured and other vital health numbers like blood pressure, body mass index and waist circumference”.
During the World Diabetes Day activities on Saturday, November 13, 2021 at the Baptist Center Nkwen Bamenda, persons living with diabetes were engaged in fun games, health walk, aerobic dance, sketches and award of prices. The Diabetes Association of Nkwen Baptist Hospital (NBH) commended the facility for making access to Diabetes Care a reality. According to its President, Esther Awunti, NBH has persons living with diabetes at heart.
But what is the CBC Health Services doing in concrete terms to meet this goal?
“At a time when the need to access diabetes essentials is crucial and we have a huge role to play in facilitating indispensable access, we are working continually with our partners to secure uninterrupted access to insulin and other essential modalities of care. Our know Your Numbers and Diabetes and Hypertension Units of every facility across the nation, is open to all,” said Professor Tih Pius Muffih, Director of CBC Health Services in his World Diabetes Day address.
“I urge you to seize this opportunity to tell someone to Know their Blood Sugar level, exercise regularly, eat more vegetables and fruits and in this way, make Diabetes Care accessible even in the form of information sharing”, he advised.
The World Health Organization says diabetes can be treated and its consequences are delayed or avoided with healthy diet, physical activity, medication, screening and treatment for complications.