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Roche unveils innovative technology to assist diabetic patients

By Stanley Akpunonu
15 November 2018   |   3:23 am
As part of effort to assist Nigerians living with diabetes and help in early detection of new cases, Roche has announced its plan to introduce new devices in 2019. Addressing journalist at a media roundtable to mark the World Diabetes Day, Head, Roche Diabetes Care, Sub-Sahara Africa, Mrs Susan Snell, noted the importance of structured…

As part of effort to assist Nigerians living with diabetes and help in early detection of new cases, Roche has announced its plan to introduce new devices in 2019.

Addressing journalist at a media roundtable to mark the World Diabetes Day, Head, Roche Diabetes Care, Sub-Sahara Africa, Mrs Susan Snell, noted the importance of structured testing of blood glucose as a necessary measure a patient must take to achieve control of the disease.

Snell disclosed that Roche has been involved in diabetes patient care for 30 years by providing the Accu-check blood sugar measurement, which they could use at home or anywhere they are.

“The Accu-Chek device is a tailor-made diabetes self management solutions, designed to help people with diabetes to manage their condition and also enhance their quality of life. We also constantly strive to improve on the device to ensure better accuracy in the measurement of blood sugar level,” she said.

She said the company has taken measures to protect the device against fake and poor quality products brought into the country through parallel importation by introducing the authentication label to enable users confirm the authenticity of their strips through toll free SMS.

Similarly, an endocrinologist, Dr. Afokoghene Isiavwe, said diabetes occurs when there are raised levels of glucose in the blood because the body cannot produce any or enough insulin or use insulin effectively.

According to her, the primary aim of the World Diabetes Day and World Diabetes Month campaign is to raise awareness of the impact that diabetes has on the family and promote the role of the family in the management, care, prevention and education of the condition.

Isiavwe said the symptoms of diabetes involves one getting tired and hungry always, blurry vision, frequent urination, wounds that will not heal, always thirsty and vaginal infection while, lack of exercise, family history unhealthy eating, over weight are categorised as risk factors.

The expert said knowing the warning symptoms and signs, detecting diabetes early is key to help prevent or delay life-threatening complications.

“All health professionals should have the knowledge and skills to help individuals and families manage diabetes. Persons living with diabetes will be found at every clinic; general practice, antenatal, eye clinic, dentist, surgery. It is important that appropriate care is given and also to know when to refer to the Endocrinologist/diabetes specialist,” Isiavwe added.

She continued: “Diabetes education and ongoing support should be accessible to all individuals and families to help manage diabetes. Health insurance companies should reimburse diabetes education. An informed and enlightened person living with diabetes is less likely to have problems in diabetes management and less likely to develop complications.”

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