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Expert laments high incidence of diabetes in Ondo

By Oluwaseun Akingboye (Akure) and Margaret Mwantok (Lagos)
15 November 2018   |   3:53 am
Consultat endocrinologist at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, Ondo, (formerly the Specialist Hospital, Akure), Dr. Adenike Enikuomehin, has raised the alarm over high incidence of diabetes in Ondo State. Enikuomehin, who spoke in Akure yesterday at the 2018 World Diabetes Day themed ‘Diabetes and the Family’, condemned the toll diabetes takes on the…

Diabetes . PHOTO: Newsmax.com

Consultat endocrinologist at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, Ondo, (formerly the Specialist Hospital, Akure), Dr. Adenike Enikuomehin, has raised the alarm over high incidence of diabetes in Ondo State.

Enikuomehin, who spoke in Akure yesterday at the 2018 World Diabetes Day themed ‘Diabetes and the Family’, condemned the toll diabetes takes on the lives of the people of the state.

“When you admit 40 patients in our hospital, almost 30 out of them are living with diabetes. That is more than two-third of admitted patients.

“This is worrisome and calls for attention and support of all and sundry.

“The family has a major role to play in this aspect to give all necessary support to people living with diabetes,” she said.

She disclosed further that out of 8,500 patients admitted at the teaching hospital since January, 3,500 are diabetic.

No fewer than 700 people out of 1,500 admitted to the hospital in recent times were diabetic, she said, adding that in every six seconds, one person must die of diabetes.

Among other factors leading to the increase in diabetes, she identified high calorie intake, obesity and drugs.

Meanwhile, two pharmaceutical companies yesterday took a distinctive measure against malaria in Africa.

The partnership between Dovizia Pharma Services and Shin Poong Pharm based in Korea was described as apt in providing solution to the malaria problem in the country, which claims about 44,000 lives yearly.

With the support of Philip and June pharmacies, the companies have introduced a special anti-malarial, Pyramax, which could be taken on an empty stomach.

According to Prof. Akin Osinbogun, Africa, from statistics, has lost $35 billion in the last 32 years to malaria. While advising the Nigerian government to take into cognisance the huge cost of treating the ailment, he said, “about $300 million is spent by sub-Sahara Africa to tackle the pandemic.”

Operations director of Shin Poong Pharma, Rene Cazetien, said that Korea’s long ties with Nigeria, especially in the area of providing health solutions, prompted the need for the collaboration.

“Pyramax is a new generation of drugs, and we are here to fight malaria and make Nigerians free of the disease,” he said.

Also, director of the Institute for advanced Medical Research and Training, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Prof. Catherine Falade, described as malpractice for any healthcare giver to treat malaria based on symptomatology only.

She said: “Of course, you could have a headache because of fatigue, infections or that your child did not perform well in school. We just have a wrong notion that every fever is caused by malaria; a lot of people swallow anti-malarial unnecessarily.”

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