The Head of the National Diabetes Management and Research Center, Dr Yacoba Atiase, has raised concerns about the exponential increase in diabetes cases in the country.
She explained that the nation’s diabetes prevalence stands at about six per cent, compared to one per cent in previous years.
Speaking at a donation exercise by Sanofi Ghana Limited to the Ministry of Health, she lauded Sanofi for its efforts to train healthcare practitioners on effectively treating diabetes patients across Ghana.
She said, “Globally, the prevalence of diabetes is increasing exponentially. In the 1950s, the prevalence of diabetes was less than one per cent. We believe that now we are definitely above five to six per cent. Importantly, patients, for various reasons, don’t have their blood sugars within a normal range so those projects by Sanofi to train healthcare practitioners who see patients with diabetes across Ghana are laudable.”
“Because what that means is that you don’t have to be a specialist to know how to manage diabetes effectively. Most patients, or most healthcare practitioners, are being taught how to initiate insulin, how to optimise insulin, and how to intensify insulin so that patients control diabetes.”
Dr Stephane Gokou, General Manager of Sanofi for Sub-Saharan Africa, expressed optimism that the donated items would aid in the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes in Ghana.
He underscored the company’s commitment to improving healthcare development capabilities, reinforcing the capacity of centres of excellence, and increasing access to analogue insulin.
“You know that diabetes became a global epidemic. Two years ago, WHO decided to tackle this in developing countries. And so one of the major manufacturers of insulin decided to join us. We launched our programme last year by signing a MoU in Ghana with four pillars. Improve healthcare development capabilities, reinforce the capacity of the centre of excellence And give access to analogue insulin. So we already started by training 100 HCPs. And today we are here to support the government to decentralize care by providing the right medical equipment for diabetes, screening, and diagnosis.”
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