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Charles Ekanem|21 September 2017
The Director General, Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Betta Edu who chaired the Calabar Diabetes and Diabetic Retinopathy Collaboration Workshop organized by the Calabar- Wolverhampton Vision 2020 Link held yesterday at the Conference Hall of University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, called on all Cross Riverians to access free eye check and free treatment at UCTH Diabetic Retinopathy Center, Calabar NegroidHaven has learnt. While speaking, she said the state government under the able leadership of His Excellency, Senator (Prof) Ben Ayade who is passionate about the health of Cross Riverians would continue to work passionately with partners to ensure that people, especially those in remote areas are screened for diabetes and treated.
Dr Betta Edu, who had earlier thanked the organizers of the workshop, said she was well pleased with Dr Dennis Nkanga for inviting her to be part of this revolution in management of diabetic retinopathy. She also thanked the UK team on Diabetic Retinopathy for choosing Calabar to host this auspicious workshop as well as providing free eye care services for the general public in the last one week.
While analyzing the statics of diabetes and diabetic retinopathy patients in Nigeria, a total population of 1.5million people are blind, 6million people severely impaired, 35% of blindness can be avoided, she was sad that the alarming rate of cases of diabetic patients from Calabar metropolis alone which stands at 10, 000, while over 1, 000 have blindness caused by diabetic retinopathy. In Cross River state, 97,500 people lives with diabetic retinopathy, while other communities in the various LGAs are yet to be fully aware of the disease. Hence, the need to focus on non-communicable diseases at primary health level with diabetes at the focus center. “Before now, our focus has been on MNCH, HIV/AIDS, PMCT, etc but now, we must expand our scope,” says Dr Betta Edu.
Speaking further, she said the agency in collaboration with the state Ministry of Health would intensify effort on capacity building for all health workers across board to easily detect, screen, and treat the disease early. She therefore, appealed to the Lion Club Diabetes Centre to partner with the agency to ensure that all referred cases from PHCs receive treatment there. Support us to build capacity of health workers to have massive screening for people at the community.
She assured members of the public that the agency would soon embark on mass screening at LGA PHCs, distribution of IEC materials, pictures demonstrating simple protocols of management will be used at PHCs. She also spoke on promotion of good healthy living among Cross Riverians e.g. diet, sleep, exercise, reduced intake of alcohol and stoppage of smoking, as well as treating disease early as solutions to end the menace. In achieving this, she said traditional and religious leaders would be engaged to promote awareness campaigns at LGAs.
Speaking earlier, various resource persons from UK and the chief host Prof Denis Nkanga former CMD UCTH had harped on the need for people to always go for screening of their sugar level. Noting that 10% of diabetes retinopathy patients soon develop low sight problems, hence, persons of 12 years and above, are encouraged to have their sugar level regularly checked.
One of the speakers, Prof. Hannah Faal while speaking, had advised medical professionals to be patient-centred in the management of diabetic retinopathy patients. She noted that patients were cardinal to healthcare services, hence the need for them to be aware of their situations so that they can as well takes responsibilities.
Resource persons were drawn from the the department of Ophthalmology, University of Calabar, The University of Calabar Teaching Hospital and their VISION 2020 LINKS partner, the Royal Wolverhampton NHS trust among others.
The workshop was well attended by participants from private/public hospitals, Nigerian Navy Medical Centre, Calabar, Bakor Medical Centre, Calabar, representatives of the local Diabetes Association, Resource persons from Wolverhampton and Calabar amongst others.
Charles Ekanem
Is a Health Reporter
