Uganda Diabetes Association President Prof William Lumu Alerts the Public on the Pandemic and Epidemic Disease Increase.
The President of Uganda Diabetes Association Prof. Dr. William Lumu has said that More than 50% of People in the World does not know that they live with Diabetes as the disease continues to increase in pandemic and epidemic Proportions Globally.
Prof. Dr. Lumu mentioned that today in Kabale Municipal Stadium in Kigongi ward Central Division Kabale Municipality Kabale District during the Commemoration Function of the World Diabetes Day Celebrations for the whole country which was hosted by Kabale District for this Year 2024. Lumu said that, This leads to late presentation of complications such as Chronic kidney disease, Heart disease, Blindness, Impotence, Diabetic Foot disease and Stroke. And it’s partly due to lack of awareness and inadequate Knowledge about the disease by the General Public and the Health Care Providers in the Primary Health Care Setting.” Therefore the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and World Health Organization (WHO) created World Diabetes Day in 1991 to address the growing Health and Economic burden of Diabetes ” said Prof Dr Lumu. The Day is celebrated annually on 14th November, The Birthday of Sir Fredrick Banting who co-discovered Insulin with Charles Best in 1922 and it became an official United Nations Day in 2006 with the passage of United Nations Resolutions 61/225.
For that matter therefore, Prof Dr Lumu emphasized that there is always a need to advocate for enhanced knowledge and awareness about diabetes and it’s complications for all stakeholders including the general public, People living with Diabetes and their care givers, Health Care Providers and the Government.
Speaking to the Audience also The Commissioner of Non-communicable Diseases in Uganda Dr. Charles Oyo, said that Prevention of the disease should be the order of the day because its expensive to manage this disease especially after contracting complications. He also emphasized that the Low life Expectancy rates in Kigezi Region are due to high levels of Alcohol Consumption in the Region that is also responsible for Diabetes disease since some Alcoholic drinks contain sugar.
Addressing the Audience too, The Chairperson Parliamentary Forum on Non-communicable Diseases who doubles as the Kabale Municipality Member of Parliament Hon. Dr. Nicholas Thaddeus Kamara called for various increment of taxes on goods that put the people on a high risk of contracting Non-communicable Diseases such as Alcoholic drinks and sugarly drinks citing an example of Coca cola soda saying that ” One bottle of Coca cola soda contains 12 tea spoons of sugar as part of its ingredients ” and hence advocating for their regulation.
This Year’s World Diabetes Day Celebrations were celebrated under the theme ” Empowering Individuals, Families and Communities for better Diabetes Life in Uganda ” in addition to the World theme by World Health Organization ” Diabetes and Well being. “
