Experts concerned over diabetes cases

Source: The Star
BY ANGWENYI GICHANA
Tuesday, 25 October 2011

EXPERTS are raising the red flag over increasing cases of diabetic patients having their limbs amputated due to mismanagement of the disease. Speaking at Kenyenya Secondary School in Nyamira county, Kenya Diabetes Management and Information Centre’s James Nduati and James Mwangi said people with diabetes poorly manage their sugar intake leading to complications.

Nduati and Mwangi were at the West Mugirango Medical Camp which was sponsored by the Safaricom Foundation. Safaricom Foundation trustee Joseph Ogutu and area MP and assistant Minister for Public Health James Gesami graced the occasion. Nduati said diabetes damages blood vessels and nerves, creating insensitivity of limbs, leading to amputation.

Nduati said studies the world over have shown that diabetes leads to loss of limbs through amputation if the patient poorly controls his sugars and ulcers. Nduati noted that experts have intensified training on how best medical staff in various parts of the country can help patients overcome ulcers and subsequent

Blue Ring for Diabetes

He said diabetes affects the poor and the rich alike due to changing lifestyles, stress, excessive alcoholism and smoking. During the one day camp, over 40 people with were found to be diabetic. Nduati called on Kenyans to go for screening at least twice in a year. Mwangi, a diabetes educator also called for frequent screening in order to detect the disease earlier.

According to Ogutu, West Mugirango is among the 13 constituencies in the country which are to benefit from Sh15 million invested by Safaricom Foundation for free medical camps. Over 2,400 residents benefitted from the exercise.