‘Seek right attention for children with type 1 diabetes’
A medical doctor with the Emmanuel Community Hospital in Accra, Dr Philip Nyinaku, has urged parents and guardians to seek the right medical care and attention for their children with type 1 diabetes.
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He said parents needed to inform school authorities about the health conditions of their children with diabetes, while they kept close eyes on their children.
At a sensitisation programme at the Calvary Baptist Church at Shiashie in Accra, Dr Nyinaku said regular and prompt checkups as well as screening helped to start the process of managing the condition early when detected.
The event
The event, organised by the Kafui Foundation for Childhood Diabetes (KFCD), was to raise awareness of type 1 diabetes in commemoration of the World Diabetes Day, which was marked on November 14.
This year’s event was on the theme: “Eyes on diabetes”. World Diabetes Day is the primary global awareness campaign focusing on diabetes.
Dr Nyinaku further advised parents to look for diabetes symptoms such as increased thirst, weight loss, frequent passage of urine and unnecessary tiredness in their children and seek early treatment.
He mentioned that about 80,000 children were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes annually across the globe, while in Ghana, the number kept increasing, in spite of the awareness.
Type one diabetes
Explaining type 1 diabetes, Dr Nyinaku said it was a condition where the pancreas produce little or no insulin, a hormone needed to allow sugar to enter the cells and produce energy.
He said the cause of type 1 diabetes, which is unknown, was mostly attributed to genetic factors and usually occurred in children and young adults from birth to their teenage.
He indicated that due to the genetic background of type 1 diabetes, it could not be prevented or cured, but rather, could be managed, adding: “Patients needed about Gh₵500 to Gh₵700 monthly to manage type 1 diabetes ”.
Dr Nyinaku said that any child who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes was given insulin monthly, well dieted and visited the hospital frequently.
The Foundation
The Chairman of the foundation, Mr Hope Agbenuzah said the foundation was established in memory of Ms Kafui A. Agbenuzah, his daughter who died of diabetes.
He said the aim of the foundation was to help needy children in Ghana living with type 1 diabetes to effectively and efficiently manage their condition.
Mr Agbenuzah said the foundation had been active since its establishment by conducting screening exercises and given awareness education in some schools and churches.