There is growing concern over the increased rate of diabetes among teenagers, the Kenya Diabetes Management and Information center chief executive director Eva Muchemi has said.
She attributed the rise in diabetes cases among young people to poor eating habits and lack of enough physical activities.
“Today most children are fed on processed foods and sugary foods unlike in the last centuries when they were raised with food directly from the farm," Muchemi said.
She was speaking on Saturday during the launch of Safaricom’s phase five of free medical camps convened by the Kenya Diabetes Management and Information Centre and the Safaricom Foundation at
Githunguri Girls Secondary School in Kandara constituency.
Muchemi said children as young as four months old were affected by the disease.
"Some years back diabetes was known to affect the elderly but now it has become common among young people,” she said.
Muchemi said most of the young people discover they have diabetes when it is too late thus making it hectic to treat and manage.
She said DMI
and Safaricom Foundation are moving around the country to make diagnosis of diabetes accessible to every Kenyan.
Muchemi said other diseases such as hypertension and eyes cataracts are now common in most parts of the country.
She said the medical camps that will be held in different parts of the country under the phase five will ensure delivery of services like cancer screening, eye check ups as well as dental services.
Safaricom Foundation chairman Joseph Ogutu said patients who will be referred to other health facilities for specialized treatment will be under the expense of the foundation.
He said Safaricom has set aside Sh31 Million to facilitate the medical camps that will be run until April 2016.
Ogutu said more than 30,000 Kenyans will benefit from the free medical camps.
“We will use these medical camps to create awareness on diabetes and other non-communicable diseases to provide opportunities for early intervention,” Ogutu said.
Muchemi urged a parents across the country to ensure that their children eat low sugars food as well adhere to proper body exercises.
The medical camp attracted more than 2,500 Kandara residents.
Some 537 were diagnosed with diabetes.
