Diabetes high in Opuwo

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Statistics from the Diabetes Association of Namibia (DAN) indicate 90 percent of people in Opuwo have diabetes.

Diabetes is a disease in which the body is unable to produce any or enough insulin resulting in elevated glucose in the blood.

Speaking in an interview with New Era last Friday, Salome Kateta said the association does outreach programmes through which they create awareness on diabetes while also testing people for the disease.
Kateta who is a volunteer for DAN said Opuwo is the second highest in terms of diabetes cases after Katima Mulilo, where over 95 percent of the people tested last year suffered from diabetes.

“We go to the community to test people for diabetes and if we find that they have the disease we advise them on what to eat and we also refer them to the doctor for treatment. Most of the people in Opuwo are living with diabetes,” said Kateta. Asked why this is the case, Kateta replied, “It’s because of wrong eating habits.”

He also said most people do not have much knowledge on diabetes.
“We are getting tough time in explaining to the people to a level where they understand what diabetes is all about,” said Kateta. Furthermore, Kateta encouraged people living with diabetes to adhere to their physicians’ instructions.
“It (diabetes) can’t be cured but your life can be prolonged if you adhere to the rules,” Kateta advised. Furthermore, Kateta called on potential sponsors to contact DAN as there are aspirations to build a diabetic hospital.

“We don’t have a diabetic hospital. We also need sponsors in the form of transport so that we can go around in the various regions of the country to give people information on diabetes,” Kateta said.
DAN was creating awareness on diabetes at a shopping centre in Opuwo on Friday.