•Diabetes is a chronic, metabolic disease characterised by elevated levels of blood glucose or blood sugar
•This leads over time to serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves
Image: MOH
The Ministry of Health now plans to redirect its efforts in the fight against diabetes to children and adolescents.
The ministry on Tuesday disclosed that children, adolescents and young adults living with diabetes bear the greatest brunt of the condition hence the need to give more focus on this population.
This comes even as the country joined the rest of the World in marking World Diabetes Day.
The day was presided over by Health CS Susan Nakhumicha at Iten County Referral Hospital under the theme ‘Access to diabetes care’.
Diabetes is a chronic, metabolic disease characterised by elevated levels of blood glucose or blood sugar.
This leads over time to serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves.
Data by the ministry shows that more than 537 million people living with diabetes globally require ongoing care and support to manage their condition and avoid complications.
In Kenya, nearly four per cent of Kenyans are estimated to have diabetes with only 40 per cent currently on treatment and follow-up.
The greater concern is that more than 87 per cent of Kenyans have never had their blood sugar levels checked.
“While the numbers are alarming with close to 350,000 Kenyan adults remaining undiagnosed, it is encouraging to note that a high proportion of diabetes and its complications can be prevented and controlled,” Nakhumicha said.
The ministry now calls on Kenyans to eat a healthy diet with less refined sugars, low salt and fats and plenty of fruits and vegetables.
This should be coupled with ample physical activity and avoiding harmful practices such as the use of tobacco and drinking of alcohol.
“Diabetes is a manageable condition, and with the right treatment, persons living with diabetes can live long and productive lives free of complications such as damage to eyes, kidneys, nerves and foot,” the CS noted.
The CS has now called for collaborations on a global and local scale to address the burden of diabetes noting that partnerships will play a crucial role in enhancing the quality of care for diabetes patients.
Through a programme dubbed Changing Diabetes in Children (CDiC) the ministry has been able to offer insulin and other supplies at no cost to more than 4,000 children and adolescents living with diabetes in Kenya.
“I call on all Kenyans to have their blood glucose, blood pressure, BMI and other health indicators measured as we take control of our health,” Nakhumicha said.
According to the World Health Organisation, around 422 million people have diabetes, and 1.5 million deaths are directly attributed to diabetes every year globally.
WHO notes that diabetes and its complications bring about substantial economic loss to people with the disease and their families, and health systems and national economies.
The complications include blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, and lower limb amputation.
The global health agency calls for timely diagnosis and management of complications of diabetes, with a specific focus on high-risk individuals.
The most common is type 2 diabetes, usually in adults, which occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin or doesn't make enough insulin.