The preventive head at Ngami District Health Management Team (DHMT), Gaomotho Kedikilwe, says the entire district has from January to September this year recorded 872 cases of sugar diabetes.
Kedikilwe said 367 of this number were males, while 505 were females, and that the most affected groups were those above the 35 years age bracket.
As it stands now, there is still no cure for diabetes, even though the condition can be managed to allow patients to live a normal life, while they also strive to keep blood glucose within normal range and preventing the development of long term complications, coupled with close monitoring of one’s diet, exercise and many other preventive measures.
Kedikilwe was speaking at the commemoration of diabetes day in Maun organised by Greater Maun Lions Club and the DHMT.
She said being a stretched out district comprising of 18 villages and several settlements, Ngamiland has only one district hospital, 10 clinics, 17 health posts and 87 mobile stops, all of which are doing everything to normalise the threatening situation.
There is only one non government health facility in Maun and eight private clinics which she says have always been cooperative in their bid to normalise the situation and keep up with the growing number of diabetic patients.
Besides diabetes, she said, they have also observed other diseases of the same category such as hypertension and all types of cancers, sand these are priority diseases which need more intervention.
The event’s guest speaker, District Officer Peggy Molefe, said like other countries Botswana has not been spared the burden of the many cases of diabetes.
She said the most disturbing part is that most people do not know if they have the disease, adding that a survey conducted in 2007 by the Ministry of Health and the Local Government in partnership with the World Health Organisation to determine the risk factors to Non-communicable diseases revealed that one third of Botswana population is living an inactive life and do not engage in physical activities.
The study also showed that most adults are overweight or obese, the highest number being that of females.
Molefe said the public should take a proactive stand and modify their lifestyle and also make an effort to visit health facilities for screening and early detection of the disease.
“This year’s theme: Diabetes Education and Prevention, calls all those who are responsible for diabetes care to immensely contribute towards controlling it so that we may not record new cases.
“For those who are already diabetic, this is a message for empowerment education so that you may follow proper ways to improve your health, and for health care professionals, this is an alert to improve knowledge so that you can provide proper care to your patients.
“As we commemorate this day I hope all of you gathered here have realized that individual actions are very important, even though concerted efforts are also required by policy makers, health professionals, the private sector and the community at large so as to help reduce the burden and impact of the disease,” said Molefe.
