The World Diabetes Day is celebrated annually on the 14th of November to raise an awareness on diabetes as a global health issue and how to manage it.
The theme for World Diabetes Day 2021 is "Access to Diabetes Care" because too many people still do not have access to diagnostics, medicines and monitoring devices that can help with diabetes management.
This year also marks the centenary of the discovery of insulin in 1921, a scientific achievement that changed the lives of people living with diabetes. But in as much as this innovation was made, premature death among people with diabetes is still high in many African countries, because of late diagnosis and a lack of access to insulin.
In the African Region, more than 19 million people are living with diabetes and sadly, about two-thirds of these people are unaware of their condition. If this disease condition is poorly controlled, it can lead to serious consequences, causing damage to a wide range of the body's organs and tissues – including the heart, kidneys, eyes and nerves. So, there's a need for the management of diabetes and the access to diabetes care, hence, the theme for this year's World Diabetes Day.
One might ask, what is diabetes?
Diabetes happens when the body isn't able to take up sugar i.e. glucose into its cells and use it for energy. This results in a build up of extra sugar in the bloodstream. Normally, the process of digestion includes breaking down the food we eat into various different nutrient sources. So, when we eat carbohydrates (for example, bread, rice, pasta), the body breaks this down into sugar (glucose). When glucose is in the bloodstream, it needs help to get into its final destination where it's used, which is inside the body's cells. This help it needs is called insulin.
Therefore, diabetes occurs when the body doesn't make insulin or enough insulin or the body cells are not responding to the insulin being produced.
The number of people who are diagnosed with diabetes increases with age. More than 26% of adults, age 65 and older (about 1 in 4) have diabetes.
There are different types of diabetes. We have the;
Type 1 diabetes which is also called insulin dependent diabetes i.e. people with this type need insulin to manage it.
Type 2 diabetes which is also called the insulin non-dependent diabetes i.e. people with this type don't necessarily need insulin for its management.
Gestational diabetes which occurs in pregnancy.
The known risk factors for diabetes include: family history, age, being overweight, having a sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy diet, or use of alcohol or tobacco.
The symptoms of diabetes include:
Increased thirst
Weak, tired feeling
Blurred vision
Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet
Slow-healing sores or cuts
Unplanned weight loss
Frequent urination
Dry mouth
In order to manage this disease, there are some measures to follow. They include;
Planning what you eat and following a healthy meal plan
Exercising regularly
Losing weight if you are overweight
Taking medication and insulin, if prescribed, and closely following recommendations on how and when to take it.
Monitoring your blood glucose and blood pressure levels at home.
Keeping your appointments with your healthcare providers and having laboratory tests completed as ordered by your doctor.
Quitting smoking (if you smoke).
We have a lot of control – on a day-to-day basis – in managing diabetes, therefore, let's spread the word, so people living with diabetes will be aware of it and also have access to diabetes care!
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