Cameroon yesterday December 14, 2010 joined the rest of the world to commemorate the 20th edition of the World Diabetes Day. The theme for this year’s celebration was “Diabetes Education and Prevention”. Marking the day in Cameroon, the National Centre for the Control of Diabetes and Hypertension organised a three-day free screening campaign which kicked-off last Friday.
Kamdem Wafo, 33, diabetic patient, said he was diagnosed of the disease four months ago after falling sick that led to frequent urination, taking of much water and loss of weight. He went to the hospital last Friday to control his blood sugar level. Martial N. on his part said he wanted to take advantage of the free screening exercise to check his blood sugar level.
In order to avoid overcrowding and thereby facilitate screening, the different centres for screening were set up in strategic points in the town. The exercise began at 7 am and ended at 11 am each day. At the National Centre for Control of Diabetes and Hypertension, over 300 patients were registered last Friday.
Dr. Dorothy Fosah Achu of the National Centre of the Control of Diabetes and Hypertension said the doctors checked the blood sugar level of the patients, blood pressure and weight according to the heights of the patients. “For those who have eaten, we do the check before asking them to come back,” she said. Diabetes control measures include diet control, exercise, treatment and medication which can either be oral for Type Two diabetes in older patients, or insulin for Type One diabetes for younger patients. Apart from the free screening exercise, week-long activities are being organised nationwide.
Celebrated every year on 14 November, World Diabetes Day was initiated in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organisation in response to growing concerns about the escalating health threat that diabetes poses to the global community. It draws attention to issues of paramount importance to the diabetes world and keeps diabetes firmly in the public spotlight.
