Knowledge of diabetes is low among residents of Umuasukpu village in Igboh Etche in Etche Local government area, which is about less than 100 kilometre drive from Port Harcourt via the Eleme Junction off Port Harcourt Aba Expressway. The people attributed the disease to the rich who live in the cities and hardly eat native food. They also construe that it is a measure that checks on the excesses of the rich who continued to exploit the poor to ride in affluence.

This posture is not in itself the most the worrisome aspect, it is the fact that they also do not know of a world day set aside by the United Nations to raise awareness on the dangers of the disease. In Umuasukpu village, there were no organised activities on this years’ world diabetes day, the 14th November, at least to provide information to the people to break their low level of knowledge that will further achieve a widespread education gain among them. No such event has held, and it is a community hardly enjoying a regular electricity supply so that they missed out on the information on world diabetes day broadcast, at least, by Rivers State Television, NTA, Rhythm, LoveFM and Treasure FM.

A community Youth leader, Lucky Anyabali and an Elder, Mr. Amos Godspower said diabetes could be a common and dangerous disease but if the danger is not known how could people avoid or prevent it? They said, since it is not a widespread community problem, each person, on an individual level could consult the doctor at the health centre to know their status.

Dr. Erasmus Lawrence, the health centre physician said patients who consult the centre are taken on terms of what they had consulted and only in cases of complication would they carry out a total examination with several test conducted ran and if a patient has diabetes, they are so treated. He maintained that it is outside his functions to embark on a community wide sensitisation on diabetes explaining that the nurses that work with him conduct the women, especially the expectant or nursing mothers, on how to maintain a healthy body and environment.

Diabetics occur when sugar and starch are not properly absorbed from the blood of human beings. Increase intake of foods with a lot of calories, fatty foods and lack of adequate exercise number among the causes of diabetes. Sometimes, it is inherited from one’s parents if the pancreas is not functioning properly, that is, unable to produce enough insulin, then the individual could become vulnerable to the disease.

The growing cases of diabetes among Nigerians and the global community certainly have become a source of worry to medical practitioners and health planners because of the implication that it poses a threat to national growth of the economy with the active members of the population encumbered. This calls for countries and health institutions to collaborate to promote low-cost strategies against risks that alter diet, increase physical activities and modify lifestyles of individuals.

Indeed, the situation in Umuasukpu village is not isolated from the general knowledge level among Nigerian. The obvious question is do the average Nigerian know what to do to avoid the risk of acquiring diabetes or how to manage it. Only a few do and the reason is not far. There is an uncontrolled index of poverty where the economy planners are unable to drive a viable micro economic programme to growth the system from the bottom. Poverty makes it difficult for citizens to cater for their health when they are hungry.
The relevance of world diabetes day cannot erode notwithstanding poverty. That was why the first world diabetics’ day was observed in 2007. that came after a united nations resolution was passed to draw global attention to the disease years after year, coming decades after Federick Banting and his partner Charles Best invented insulin drug in 1922 for the treatment of diabetes patients.

Despite the effort, cases of diabetes have continued to rise with an estimated world figure of 143 million people affected and a projection of 220 million people likely to be affected by 2020. it is more troubling now that diabetes usually known among people in their sixties is now being experienced by children and youths in their prime with the burden of cost of treatment lasting a lifetime. In Nigeria, about 1.5 million people have acquired any of the five types of diabetes and have become a burden since they are not strong enough to get involved in rigorous economic activities.

According to medical experts, prevention and controlling diabetes requires concerted efforts such as improving access to compressive healthcare and promoting healthy behaviours where people live, work, learn and play. It is preventable through more intakes of fruits, regular exercise and periodic medical check up of one’s blood sugar levels.

With the campaign slogan of ‘Act on diabetes now,’ there is a rising need to raise awareness on diabetes and the dissemination of the tools required for the prevention of the disease. A crossed section of the public are of the view that campaign against diabetes may not be achieved if the world day is observed as a one-stop activity without effective measure put in place by relevant agencies and corporate organisations to sensitize the public on diabetes prevention all year round.