Diabetes Niger Govt urges residents to embrace Diabetes testing

The state's Ministry of Health made a call for all to be involved in a global drive to confront and combat diabetes as a crucial health challenge.

The Niger Government has called on residents to embrace the free diabetes testing programme as the State commemorates this year’s World Diabetes Day.

The Coordinator, Non Communicable Diseases and Cancer Control, Niger State Ministry of Health, Dr Hauwa Kolo, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna on Monday.

‎She said that the 2016 World Diabetes Day has the theme “Eyes on Diabetes”, a call for all to be involved in a global drive to confront and combat diabetes as a crucial health challenge.

Kolo said that diabetes is a disorder of the metabolism system causing excessive thirst and the production of large amount of urine.

She described diabetes as a condition where the amount of glucose in the blood is too high because the body cannot use it properly.

The director also explained that diabetes develops when glucose cannot enter the body’s cells to be used as fuel.

“This happens when there is no insulin to unlock the cells known as Type one diabetes.

“When there is no adequate insulin or the insulin is there but not working properly this is also known as Type two diabetes,” Kolo said.

She also said that children can have diabetes that can be a genetic factor, stressing that overweight children are likely to have diabetes.