Medical experts on Wednesday called for inclusiveness as well as an early diagnosis and treatment of diabetes to reduce the burden on people living with the disease.
They spoke at a forum organised to commemorate the 2018 World Diabetes Day organised by the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan and the Diabetes Association of Nigeria (DAN) in Oyo State.
Dr Jokotade Adeleye, a consultant physician and endocrinologist, underscored the importance of prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of diabetes to reduce its prevalence.
“ It is not just the individual that has diabetes that is affected by the disease, the family also can benefit positively when they know about the symptoms as this can lead to early diagnosis.
“ The family members eat together, live together, move together, so they can learn about the things they can do jointly to reduce the burden of this disease,” Adeleye said.
Prof. Adesoji Fasanmade, the Chairman of the occasion, frowned at the resort to the use of unorthodox medicine by Nigerians.
“These people claim that there is a cure for diabetes but unfortunately there is no cure for diabetes.
“It is also true that fake drugs have a negative impact on the treatment of the disease.
“Type one diabetes usually occurs in children but not as many as those affected by type two diabetes which occurs in people who are 40 years and above.
“What we see now is that young adults and children now have type two diabetes, especially when they are obese at childhood,’’ he said.
Fansanmade, an endocrinologist, said people who are obese, live sedentary life and eat too much without exercising were susceptible to diabetes.
Chief Emmanuel Adeyinka, the Chairman of DAN in the state, urged Nigerians to embrace a healthy diet and engage in physical exercise to check the ailment.
