World Diabetes Day creates awareness
JOBURG - World Diabetes Day on 14 November aims to highlight the serious effects of diabetes and to create awareness of the disease.
In South Africa, 2.7 million people suffer from the disease with 22 million sufferers in Africa. Last year, about 481 000 people died from the disease or related complications. The condition is medically and financially difficult to manage with general manager of Becton Dickinson South Africa, Ian Wakefield explaining that diabetes, which involves the sufferers having consistently high sugar levels, has increased in South Africa by 11 percent.
Wakefield added, “As a company that supplies diverse medical devices, including needles used to deliver insulin therapy to manage diabetes, Becton Dickinson is committed to improving public awareness of the debilitating condition. Becton Dickinson will partner with communities and healthcare providers to put the disease on the agenda this World Diabetes Day.”
The day will focus on symptoms of the disease, measures to control the symptoms and preventative measures.
“This way we will enable patients to take control of their blood sugar level and their well-being, and we’ll get closer to the goal of halting the diabetes epidemic,” concluded Wakefield.
Details: www.idf.org/wdd-index
