Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole has inaugurated the National Steering Committee for the Diabetes Awareness and Care Project (DAC) in Nigeria.
Speaking at the event in Abuja, Adewole said the Federal Government was committed to safeguarding the health of Nigerians and improving diabetes care in Nigeria.
He said: โThe Non-Communicable Disease Division of the FMoH, in collaboration with the Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation (HSDF) and with the support of the World Diabetes Foundation (WDF), have embarked on this project, which will first be implemented in two states of the country namely FCT and Imo Satesโ.
Adewole said part of the aim of the project was to increase diabetes awareness, improve access to care and strengthen two-way referral systems for diabeties in Imo and FCT.
โThe finalisation of the National Guideline for prevention and control of diabetes in Nigeria which took place earlier this month is an integral part of this project. It is expected that the guideline will ensure standardised protocol for medical care and patient selfโmanagement education to prevent acute complication, and reduce the risk of long term complications among Nigerians living with the diseaseโ.
The minister said the main objectives of the project, among others, are: to improve information available for institution of an informed interventions for diabetes and to improve access to Diabetes care through training of 220 Health care workers at PHC level and screening of at least 30,000 individuals per state for T2DM in Imo and Federal capital Territory (FCT) to improve case findings for diabetes.
Adewole said the project would cover three years (2018-2021), adding that part of the terms of implementing the project was for the constitution of the project to provide both oversight and guidelines as well as ensuring the terms of the implementation are adhered to.
He commended the WDF and HSDF for their support.
The ministryโs Permanent Secretary, Mr. Abdallahi Mashi, represented by Public Health Director, Dr. Evelyn Ngige, said the prevalence of diabetes in Nigeria was increasing with the World Health Organisation (WHO) putting the figures at 3.4 percent, and studies it is between three to 10 percent.
Responding on behalf of the chairperson of the Committee, a member of the Committee, Prof. Felicia Anumah pledged that the committee was committed to the task ahead and would deliver on its mandate.
