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More than one million people are on the diabetes register in Gauteng and these high numbers has sparked the department to intensify the awareness campaign. As of March 2013, 1 051 021 people were on the diabetes register and of these 40 470 of those were cases diagnosed in the 2012/13 financial year and 740 118 and patients who present for follow-up visits.

The campaign which aims at decreasing the incidence of this generic and lifestyle disease in the province is being taken to heights this month ahead to World Diabetes Day on 14 November.

Under the theme, ‘Diabetes Prevention and Education’, the aim of this campaign is to ensure early detection of diabetes as that leads to early intervention of the condition, reducing complications of the illness such as blindness, kidney disease, cardio vascular diseases and amputation of limbs.

Diabetes is a chronic disease, but early detection and effective management may lead to a normal lifespan and quality of life. This disease can be inherited from parents or can be induced by unhealthy lifestyle. However, diabetes can be controlled with a healthy balanced diet and living a healthy lifestyle.

Diabetes can be effectively managed and prevented by always monitoring sugar levels, visiting the eye clinic annually, conducting daily foot care to identify any abnormalities and report to the health care facility and go to the doctor every 3 to 6 months for reviews.

In dealing with this condition, the department has established 102 support groups across the province. The Primary Health Care Re-engineering, Ward Based Outreach Team plays a major role in educating, supervision of compliance of those taking chronic medication, house to house visits and collecting medication for those who are frail at home.

Services are accessible in all public health facilities and health promoters encourage healthy eating habits, physical activity, discouraging smoking and drinking alcohol and maintaining normal weight.

Medication for diabetes is available free to all patients and those who need to be treated at tertiary and provincial hospitals are referred timeously.
The support services of podiatrists, dieticians, optometrists which are needed in managing diabetes are becoming more available to patients at clinics.

“I am calling on members of the public to lead healthy lifestyles and do regular checkups to prevent diabetes and other lifestyle illnesses. Those who have been diagnosed should take their medication religiously and lead healthy lifestyles,” says Gauteng Health MEC, Hope Papo.

To commemorate the day, the dpartment, will have different activities throughout the province. Districts will educate the public on good eating habits and conduct different health screenings such as blood glucose, blood pressure, weight and circumference measuring. 

Tomorrow, the dpartment in conjunction with Ekurhuleni Municipality will commemorate the day at Mbikwa Cindi Hall in Daveyton. Different stalls will be on display to raise awareness on the disease as well as education on obesity, foot care, physical activity, healthy eating and treatment adherence. Health screening for blood glucose, eye testing, blood pressure, measuring of circumference and weight will also be done.

Signs and symptoms of diabetes include, frequent urination, excessive thirst, unexplained weight loss, extreme hunger, sudden vision changes, tingling or numbness in hands or feet, feeling very tired most of the time, very dry skin and sores that are slow to heal.