By Patrick Biddah
The Ghana Diabetes Association of Ghana, has expressed grave concerned over government’s neglect of its support to the association.
The association, said it has been left on its own, although many Ghanaians continue to suffer the consequences and in need dire of government support.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday November 11, 2024, the president of the Ghana National Diabetes Association, Mrs Elizabeth Esi-Denyoh, indicated that for the past two years all efforts to get government subsidy for the Association have failed.
This, she added has necessitated them to make a call to all well-meaning people for urgent intervention, stressing that they do not see any seriousness on the part of the Government.
“We want to state categorically today that from 2011, no diabetes association worldwide is an NGO, because of its seriousness the global Associations were all placed under the various Ministries of Health “, he pointed out.
Despite the government’s neglect and lack of subsidy, she said the Diabetes Association, will like to Partner MOH to train Health Personnel in Diabetes Education which was started in Winneba.
This, she explained is to help sustain the progress that has been made in the provision of health delivery and to attain the quality and specialized care for Diabetes.
The press conference, was also to launch the start of activities for the commemoration of this year’s World Diabetes Day which is under the theme: “ Diabetes and Well-being”.
As part of the commemoration, she announced the free distribution of januvia to Type 2 patients. This free distribution she added will, include fruits in schools.
She used the occasion to encourage exercising, and reiterated the need for subsidy for the Diabetic drugs.
She said, there is rise in complications and increasing deaths arising out of diabetes.
“According to the latest Diabetes Atlas brought out by the International Diabetes Federation, there are about 425 million people with diabetes, and this ts slated to increase significantly in the near future”, she noted.
She called for the need for testing in order to diagnose the half who are not aware they have the condition.
“It is no wonder that today diabetes Is the leading cause of blindness; the leading cause of lower limb amputations after traumatic incidents; one in three people undergoing dialysis or renal transplants have diabetes as its root cause and diabetes along with its co-morbid conditions, is a major factor in the increasing numbers seen of people with cardiovascular disease”, she said.
“It has been estimated that a person with diabetes could have a shortened life span brought about by diabetes and it’s associated”, she added.
In 2015, the International Diabetes Federation Atlas, according to Mrs. Esi-Denyoh, showed that a person died every six seconds
Diabetes is a chronic condition which can result in cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, damage of limb (amputations), stroke, impotence and eye disease that lead to blindness.
