21 Nov 2017

First National Bank Botswana (FNBB) Maun branch manager, Ms Kelebogile Disang, has encouraged women and a girl child to take part in physical activities to avoid the risk of getting diabetes.

Speaking during 2017 World Diabetes Commemoration Day in Maun on November 18 held under the theme “Women and diabetes-our right to a healthy future,” Ms Disang observed that many people remain unaware of their condition for a long period of time, which could lead to diabetes-related complications by the time disease was diagnosed.

She said this year’s focus was on emphasising the importance of providing women with affordable and equitable access to appropriate diabetes care and strengthen their capacity to prevent type 2 diabetes.

Ms Disang said pregnant women needed improved access to screening, care and education on diabetes.

“Screening for diabetes should be integrated into other maternal health interventions and services at primary healthcare level to ensure early detection.”

Ms Disang cautioned that obesity was a risk factor for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. She said our cultural belief might be playing a role in encouraging obesity in women.

Thus, Ms Disang said weight management was critical in the prevention of type 2 diabetes.

Further, she emphasised the benefit of avoiding tobacco as smoking increased the cardiovascular risk significantly.

“Since diabetes is considered a cardiovascular disease equivalent, discontinuing smoking becomes a crucial step in its management,” said Ms Disang.

Also, she said unhealthy eating could predispose people to non-communicable diseases.

Being the gatekeepers of household nutrition and lifestyle habits, she said women had the potential to drive prevention from the household and beyond.

“That calls for women to promote healthy eating at home and even at the social events,” she said.

For people who already have diabetes, Ms Disang said they should join support groups to connect with people who have had success in managing their diabetes.

She encouraged patients to form such  group so that they could speak with one voice to advocate for services pertaining to their condition.

She further called upon employers to come up with wellness programs at workplaces to promote healthy living.

As for the country’s statistics, Ms Disang said a risk factor survey conducted by the Ministry of Health and Wellness in 2014 revealed that the prevalence of diabetes was 5.8 per cent.

The prevalence was higher in female at 6.8 per cent, she said.

In the same survey it was estimated that 30.6 per cent of people aged 15 to 69 were overweight. Similarly, she said more were women with 42.3 per cent of women aged 15 to 69 years being overweight.

Ms Disang said these statistics indicated that something needed to be done and more emphasis should be put on women to safe guard the future of the country. ENDS