Lions Club International, Multiple District 404B2 Nigeria, in partnership with Osun State Government has flagged off 10,000 diabetes screening and testing across Osun State.
The project which was aimed at reducing the number of people living with diabetes in the State to the barest minimum through consistent awareness and sensitisation is to take place at 7 locations across the three senatorial districts in the state.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony of the exercise at Timi Market in Ede, Ede South Local Government Area of the state, Council Chairperson and the Grand Administrator, Abiodun Abdulganiyu Adediji revealed that most diabetes patients in the country are ignorant of the disease.
Adediji maintained that the club has taken the responsibility to create awareness and treat patients in 50 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHC) in eight local governments of the state.
His said, “We want to create awareness and treat those who have diabetes but do not know that they have diabetes. It is better to be aware than not to be aware.
“There are many Nigerians who have diabetes but are not aware, we want to achieve what our counterpart achieved on polio in Nigeria. We have been doing it and we will succeed on this.”
“We are doing free diabetes screening in 11 Southern and Central States of Nigeria. We have been round. We started from Lagos, from Lagos to Ogun State, from Ogun State we moved to Federal Capital Territory. We have been to Markudi in Benue, we have also gone to Lafia in Nasarawa, now it’s the turn of Osun State.
“After the screening, anybody that’s diagnosed to be diabetic we would give them a form that they would fill. The referees will refer them to the General Hospital. We have some drugs which are going to be giving to them free of charge to assist them. As a matter of fact, treatment thereafter is free, He said.
The Project Chairperson of MD 404 Diabetes Project, Dr. Christine Funke Adebajo submitted that diabetes is a deadly disease with high prevalence in Nigeria and quick in reducing the lifespan of the people.
Shee further revealed that over four million people are living with disease in Nigeria while 40 thousand people die yearly due to the complication.
“We have provisions for those who have been diagnosed. We will be treating patients, we will be making referrers in some cases that can’t be handled by health care centres.
“We will also be monitoring the progress of people that have been diagnosed with diabetes,” she said.
She urged Nigerians to live healthy to prevent diabetes, adding that even when diabetes occurs, by complying with treatment, its complications will be averted.
Echoing a similar views, District Governor, Lion Kayode Oshinuga described diabetes as a silent killer adding that it was incumbent upon people to know their statues so as to be able to know how to manage it .
He said: “There is need for the people to come out for screening, once they come out they would know their status. They would know what they supposed to be eating and the food they supposed not to eat so they would be able to live their normal life.
“Many people had diabetes for five years and they are managing it because they know they have and they are taking Precautions to curb its complications.
He further disclosed that 40 percent of people living with diabetes were not aware of their status, hence untimely death.
Dr Olayode O.W, from Ede South Local Government Area, described the programme as a laudable one.
He noted the intervention of Lion’s Club will assist in the reduction of diabetes disease.