Dr. Harrienta Fiscian
Senior Specialist and Endocrinologist at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge), Dr. Harrienta Fiscian, has urged the public to screen for their diabetes status.
According to Dr. Fiscian, the country is diagnosing only a half of the people with diabetes, adding that for every number diagnosed there is an equal number of undiagnosed people with the condition.
She further indicated that getting screened for diabetes was important to managing the chronic condition.
Speaking at a training session for journalists on diabetes reporting, Dr. Fiscian said one in every 40 Ghanaian adults, 40 years and above are living with type two diabetes, which can be attributed to unhealthy dieting, inactivity and the intake of alcohol.
The Out-Patients Department (OPD) of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, she said, records an average of 60 cases of diabetes daily, mostly among persons between the ages of 35 to 42.
“Presently, younger people are developing diabetes because they do not exercise, they are eating too much saturated fats which is not too good for their health,” she said.
Dr. Fiscian said usually most people who developed type two diabetes do not show any symptoms at the early stages, “they will be fine and live normal lives until about five years later.”
She encouraged the public to eat healthy meals regularly, saying “at least three times in a day, have breakfast, lunch and supper on time to provide enough energy for the body, if you don’t eat, there is no energy, and you always feel hungry which makes you snack on sugary foods.”
Organised by Novo Nordisk, a leading global healthcare company that provides services on diabetes care medications and devices, the workshop exposed the participants to the ICARE which provides access to care, including human insulin, to children with type 1 diabetes through working with partners and institutions.
Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas is no longer able to produce insulin which helps the body to break down carbohydrate for absorption by the organs.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri