HEALTH and Child Care minster David Parirenyatwa last Thursday urged all healthcare providers to ensure that Zimbabweans access diabetes prevention information and control services.
PERPETUAL PHIRI OWN CORRESPONDENT
Speaking at the World Diabetes Day commemorations held in Gwanda at Phelandaba Stadium, Parirenyatwa said in the non-communicable disease risk factor study conducted in 2005, there was a diabetes prevalence of 10% among the population meaning that out of every 100 people, 10 have diabetes.
The study also revealed that new cases of diabetes increased to 9 380 in 2011 from 1 730 recorded in 2008.
“Preventing and controlling diabetes contributes to the country’s socioeconomic development, therefore this commemoration is an opportunity for creating awareness among the people living with diabetes,” Parirenyatwa said.
“Its risk factors and what each one of us can do to prevent developing diabetes and for those living with the condition, what can be done to control it or prevent complications and premature deaths (is a major issue),” Parirenyatwa said.
He also revealed that his ministry was working at improving diabetes prevention and control services by establishing routine diabetes screening services and ensuring availability of medication for diabetes control in health institutions.
“We are partnering with other stakeholders like Zimbabwe Diabetes Association (ZDA) through providing diabetes medicines and blood sugar monitoring equipment and supplies.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
“I urge all healthcare service providers to increase health projects and ensure that all people who come into contact with the system are counselled and screened for diabetes and monitor closely control of blood sugar levels,” Parirenyatwa said.
He also added that most of people living with diabetes were undiagnosed due to lack of access to early detention (screening and diagnoses) services in a vigorous manner and they therefore needed to implement these projects to ensure people know their status to enable them to control it by adjusting their lifestyles early.
“I am making an appeal to corporate organisations, medical aid societies, business communities and private healthcare providers to ensure people access the control services starting with your employees through the establishment of workplace wellness programmes.
“Prevention is the way to go. Let us teach ourselves about diabetes and prevent it in our communities so that we have a healthy nation,” he said.
However, Parirenyatwa expressed concern about the overcrowding and unplanned structures at Gwanda Provincial Hospital.
“Gwanda deserves a proper provincial hospital and something has to be done. Seriously the hospital is overcrowded and it is unable to accommodate its patients yet it is a provincial hospital,” he added.
A ZDA representative said the diabetes epidemic could be controlled by educating people through conducting awareness programmes countrywide and urged Parirenyatwa to ensure availability of diabetes medication and that provincial health facilities were fully functional so as to eradicate the scourge of the disease.
ZDA donated 2 000 testing strips and 400 unit vials of insulin to Gwanda Provincial Hospital.
Gwanda mayor Knowledge Ndlovu thanked Parirenyatwa for gracing the commemoration as well as ZDA for donating the testing strips and insulin to the hospital.
