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| Sunday, 16 June 2002 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Diabetes, another killer by Don Asoka Wijewardena One million people including children and teenagers suffer from diabetes in Sri Lanka and this is composed of 12 per cent urban and 7.7 rural population said Health, Nutrition and Welfare Minister P. Dayaratne, addressing a health seminar for mediamen on "Healthy Lifestyles- Diabetes" held at the HEB auditorium recently. Diabetes causes life-threatening diseases like cardio-vascular diseases, kidney diseases, blindness and even amputation of legs or arms. Minister Dayaratne said that his Ministry has formulated a strategy to deal with the upsurge of the disease by organising preventive educational programs and awareness programs for the general public and students with the co-operation of the Health Education Bureau. Health Education Bureau Director, Dr. (Mrs) Latha Hapugoda, in her address said that the sudden increase of Diabetes in urban areas was a cause for concern as persons under 30 had become the most vulnerable group. She said that ten years ago the prevalence of Diabetes was limited to people over 40, but today the younger generation, the backbone of the country suffer from this disease. " We have already taken steps necessary to educate the general public on this matter", she said. Dr. Mahen Wijesooriya, Consultant Physician and Chairman Sri Lanka Diabetic Association, cited Genetics, Foetal origin, lifestyles and stress as the major contributory factors to Diabetes, and pointed out obesity, lack of exercise and excessive take of sugar-coated food items had exacerbated the onset. When asked about the possible deadly complications that Diabetes could cause, Dr. Wijesooriya explained that cardiovascular diseases,especially atherosclerosis, stroke and coronary-artery disease, vision impairment, peripheral vascular disease, gangrene in legs, sexual impotence in men and hypoglycaemia could develop in Diabetic patients and commonest symptoms were fatigue,excessive thirst, increased appetite, frequent urination, decreased resistance to infection,especially urinary track infections and infections of the skin,mouth or vagina. "Diabetes is a disorder caused by decreased production of insulin, or by decreased ability to use insulin.Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that is necessary for cells to be able to use blood sugar.It is shocking that around 175 million people are afflicted with Diabetes in the world today and according to the WHO predictions,around 300 million people will be affected by Diabetes in the year 2025," said Dr Wijesooriya. Consultant Physician National Hospital,Dr.Sarath Gamini de Silva,urged the general public and teenagers to get their urine or blood tested for sugar if they developed frequent urination,excessive thirst and abnormal hunger." It is obvious that many children and even adults are interested in sweetmeat and soft drinks,and it has been a tradition of elders to present sugary food items to small children in bulk.This is a bad practice and it poses a health threat to children. Diabetes can be controlled with weight loss and good control decreases the chance of complication," explained Dr Gamini de Silva. According to the HEB, diabetes education is an important part of a treatment plan. Diabetes educators and health care providers are available in almost all the districts to teach essential skills needed after initial diagnosis of the disease. Appropriate education teaches people with Diabetes how to incorporate the management principles of the disease into their daily lives and minimise dependence upon the health care provider. |
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