Avoid Unhealthy Lifestyles To Prevent Diabetes – Minister Of Health
SAN FRANCISCO, April 07, (THEWILL) – Isaac Adewole, Minister of Health, has called on Nigerians of all ages to be mindful of the dangers of unhealthy lifestyles and behaviours as it can result in diabetes.
Speaking in Abuja on Thursday during the commemoration of the 2016 World Diabetes Day, he urged those already diagnosed with diabetes to follow up on doctor's advice as well as be consistent with doctor's appointment.
“Diabetes is increasingly becoming an epidemic especially among adolescents and young adults, partly due to the rapid socio-cultural change being experienced, and the adoption of unhealthy lifestyles and risky behaviours,” he said.
The Minister also urged Nigerians to be actively involved in the campaign, stressing that people must learn to identify their risk factors and take steps to avoid them including maintaining a healthy weight, eating healthy, being physically active, avoiding harmful habit like alcohol intake and tobacco use.
He declared that with Nigeria's sustained efforts and support from development partners, the spread of the wild polio-virus was halted and Nigeria was dropped off the infamous list of countries where the virus is still endemic.
Adewole also commended Nigeria's capabilities of meeting the health needs of a greater proportion of her population and her ability to withstand challenges of epidemic like HIV, infectious disease outbreaks as demonstrated by her response to recent Ebola virus epidemic.
Quoting the recent report of the World Health Organisation (WHO), on 24 per cent of illness related deaths in the country being caused by non-communicable diseases (NCDs), Adewole said diabetes accounts for two per cent of the figure.
The focus of 2016 World Health Day campaign is on Diabetes with the theme “Beat Diabetes”.
Adewole also revealed that everything will be done to prevent the impending strike by the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria (NARD) revealing that the government had reached out to the association.
Muhammad Askira, NARD's President, had told journalists at a press briefing, on Monday, that the association would commence indefinite strike if the government does not address some of its pressing demands within 21 days beginning from April 4.
The demands include payment of members' salaries till date and appropriate placement of members in states and federal tertiary hospitals across the nation, reversal of sacked members in some hospitals and appropriate funding of residency training programme.
“I am assuring Nigerians that there will be no strike. We have received the ultimatum, we have talked and will be meeting again on Monday,” he said at the event which was the flag off of diabetics screening exercise organized by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).
Story by David Oputah