Written By Vanessa Kariuki ||
Kenyans have been asked to take responsibility for diabetes prevention and make use of the opportunity for diabetes screening in all public health institutions.
The call took centre stage as Kenya joined the rest of the globe in commemorating World Diabetes Day 2022.
The subject for this year is “Access to Diabetes Care; If Not Now, When? ” which takes into account the fact that more than 537 million people worldwide have diabetes, and that they need ongoing support and care.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Andrew Mulwa, Acting Director of Preventive and Promotive Services, stated that diabetes poses a severe threat to the economic and health goals of our nation because more than 87 per cent of Kenyans are unaware of their blood sugar levels.
He mentioned that just 40% of Kenyans, who make up an estimated 5% of the population, are now receiving treatment and follow-up.
He noted that a program called “Changing Diabetes in Children” is being implemented by his ministry and county governments with assistance from Novo Nordisk, Roche Diabetes, Kenya Diabetes Management and Information Center, and other partners (CDiC).
Additionally, the Ministry of Health has implemented the Changing Diabetes in Children (CDiC) program, which provides free insulin and other supplies to all children and teenagers with diabetes in Kenya.
This program is a collaboration with the Kenya Diabetes Management and Information Centre, Novo Nordisk, and Roche Diabetes.
“I call upon all the people living with diabetes to join this movement as a way of ensuring that they provide psychosocial support to each other,” said Mulwa.
The Ministry of Health has set up diabetes clinics in all Kenyan county hospitals to provide quality diabetes prevention, screening, diagnosis, and care.
There are six centers of excellence at the following locations: Kenyatta National Hospital, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Nakuru PGH, Machakos County Referral Hospital, Coast Provincial General Hospital, and Kakamega County Referral Hospital.
