Professor Ernest Yorke an Associate Professor of Medicine and Endocrinology, Department of medicine and therapeutics, University of Ghana Medical school warns that diabetes claims one life every five seconds in Ghana.
To combat this, he advocates for subsidized imported diabetes medication, reduced import duties, and increased physical activity through accessible walking spaces.
Speaking at the official launch of Panacea Pharmaceuticals Limited diabetes product at Alisa Hotel, he attributes rising diabetes cases to unhealthy lifestyles, emphasizing excessive carbohydrate consumption and physical inactivity.
He emphasizes the importance of regular check-ups to combat diabetes. Stressing the importance of Ghanaians actively managing their energy intake to combat the rising diabetes cases. He recommends limiting starchy foods or carbohydrates, which contribute significantly to obesity.
Professor Ernest Yorke commends Ghana’s government for incorporating free diabetes and hypertension screenings into the National Health Insurance Scheme.
Dr. Nana Yaw Ampiah Amoah, Senior Medical Officer at Panacea Pharmaceuticals, emphasizes the crucial need for regular sugar and blood pressure checks at all Ghanaian health facilities to detect diabetes early.
Early treatment, he stresses, can significantly reduce kidney failure and eye-related complications associated with diabetes.
Dr. Amoah urges the government to include GLIKIT, a diabetes treatment, in the National Health Insurance Scheme. This inclusion would greatly benefit diabetic patients nationwide, improving their health outcomes and quality of life.
Report by Bernard K Dadzie; Greater Accra Region
