NEWS
World Diabetes Day: WHO Raises Concern over 24m Africans with Disease
By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Thursday raised concern over more than 24 million adults in Africa who were currently living with diabetes with half of them still undiagnosed.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti stated this in her message marking this year’s World Diabetes Day.
Moeti, who said there is need for urgent interventions, or else diabetes in the African Region will rise to 54 million by 2045, the highest projected increase globally.
World Diabetes Day is marked annually by the international community on the 14th of November; this year’s theme is “Breaking Barriers, Bridging Gaps”.
Moeti noted that the theme of this year’s commemoration underlined WHO’s commitment to reducing risk, and ensuring that everyone diagnosed with diabetes has access to equitable, comprehensive, affordable and quality treatment and care.
She said; “against a background of rising diabetes prevalence in Africa, complicated by multiple drivers including urbanization, unhealthy diets and physical inactivity, the theme of World Diabetes Day 2024 appropriately emphasizes the imperative of a collaborative approach to this ‘silent killer”.
Diabetes is a chronic lifelong disease that leads to uncontrolled blood sugar levels because the body can no longer produce or use the insulin it produces efficiently.
“In the WHO African Region alone, more than 24 million adults are currently living with diabetes, half of whom remain undiagnosed.
“Left untreated, diabetes can lead to complications such as heart disease, stroke, nerve damage, kidney failure, lower-limb amputation, and eye disease that can result in blindness.
“Without urgent interventions, predictions are that the number of people living with diabetes in the African Region will rise to 54 million by 2045, the highest projected increase globally.
“This poses a significant dual health and economic burden, including catastrophic spending by individuals to control their disease.
“Compounding the challenge is that Africa has the lowest investment rate in diabetes care worldwide, at only 1% of the region’s health expenditure. Health systems are also traditionally designed to deal with acute, infectious diseases, without sufficient attention paid to chronic diseases like diabetes”, she said.
The WHO Regional Director stated that managing diabetes required a sustained effort to balance physical health activity, healthy diet, mental well-being, and WHO in the African Region was committed to holistic solutions, including proper nutrition, access to the requisite essential medicines, and mental health support.
She noted that, equally crucial were comprehensive prevention strategies to address risk factors including obesity, poor diet and physical activity, combined with community engagement to ensure good support systems and reduced stigma.
Highlighting steps taken by WHO Africa Region to combat the disease, she said:
“In an important step forward at the Seventy-fourth session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa in August this year, African Member States endorsed WHO’s Framework for the Implementation of the Global Diabetes Compact (GDC) in Africa.
“Focused specifically on the challenge of integrating diabetes care into broader health systems in a multi-sectoral approach, it provides a roadmap for countries to strengthen diabetes prevention, diagnosis and care, especially at primary health care level”.
Moeti called individuals, communities, civil societies, governments, health workers to join hands and act against diabetes:
“On World Diabetes Day today, I urge individuals, communities, governments, health workers, policymakers and civil society organizations to join hands and act now. For individuals, prioritize a healthy lifestyle, and if you’re already living with diabetes, have regular medical check-ups.
“Strengthening diabetes control in the African region demands that we address key gaps, including myths and misconceptions about diabetes, fragile primary health care systems and insufficient capacity and training of health care workers.
“Together, let us all commit to breaking down the barriers and addressing the gaps, by raising awareness, spreading knowledge, and creating lasting change for everyone in Africa affected by diabetes”, she said.
NEWS
Abuja Stampede: Wike Directs Free Treatment for Victims
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike has directed government hospitals to provide free treatment to the people that sustained injuries during a stampede at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja.Wike gave the directive in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Mr Lere Olayinka, in Abuja on Saturday.
No fewer than 10 people including children lost their lives while 10 others sustained injuries to the stampede, during the distribution of food items to less privileged and the elderly by the church. The sad incident occurred around 6:30 a.m on Saturday.Wike said that the FCT Administration would ensure that the injured received adequate medical attention.The minister, who commiserated with the victims, also directed that henceforth, police permission should be obtained by individuals or organizations planning public distribution of palliatives, either food items or cash.Describing the incident as “painful”, Wike prayed for the repose of the souls of the lives that were lost and fortitude for their families to bear the irreparable loss.He commended the Police and other security agencies for their prompt intervention, saying, “the promptness in which security agencies responded to the incident was commendable.”In a related development, the FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD), equally commiserated with the victims of the stampede.The acting Director General of the department, Mr Abdulrahman Mohammed, in a statement said that nine out of the 10 injured persons earlier taken to Maitama District Hospital, have been treated and discharged.Mohammed also appealed to organisations that intended to give out food items to the less privileged to involve security agencies or FEMD for adequate planning to ensure safety of beneficiaries.He also advised the use of coupons and segregation of the beneficiaries into groups to avoid crowd and rowdiness that could lead to stampedes.Similarly, the Police Command in the FCT has ordered organisations, religious bodies, groups, or individuals to notify the police when planning public events, charitable activities, or large gatherings in the territory.In a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer in the FCT, SP Josephine Adeh, said that the notification was to enable the police to deploy adequate security measures for public safety.According to her, failure to comply with the directive will result in the organisers being held liable for any incident or loss of life resulting from negligenceMeanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force has issued a warning against the unorganised distribution of palliatives and funfairs, which have led to stampedes and fatalities among vulnerable citizens.The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, gave the warning during a media briefing on Saturday in Abuja.Adejobi explained that the warning came in response to the increasing number of stampedes resulting in injuries and deaths, particularly during palliative distributions. (NAN)NEWS
NDA Records Successes in Military Training, Academics in 2024
The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), says it has recorded a lot of successes in military training and academic activities in 2024.
The Commandant of NDA, Maj.-Gen. John Ochai, said this at the Nigerian Defence Academy Social Activities (NDASA), held at the headquarters of the academy Afaka on Friday in Kaduna.
Ochai said the essence of NDASA was to end training activities of the year.
He said the 2024 NDASA was unique because the academy marked 60 years of existence from 1964-2024.
Also of significance, Ochai said, NDA had passed out the largest number of officers commissioned into the Armed Forces of Nigeria in 2024.
Equally, he said, in the same year (2024), the academy had the largest number of officers trained outside the country.
He emphasised that the NDA does not only train leaders for the Nigerian Armed Forces, but those for the Nigerian nation and humanity at large.
“After five years of training, we imbibe in officers leadership qualities that are everlasting.
”The traditions, ethos, characters that we instill in our cadets follow them forever and become very useful in all spheres of human endeavors,” Ochai said.
Mr Martins Amaram, Country Security Manager, Nigeria Breweries, PLC , who was the Special Guest of Honour, said the event fostered unity, cultural awareness and comradeship among the cadets and the larger community.
Amaram said, “The academy has always been a beacon of excellence in producing military leaders for integrity, resilience and capacity to face in a dynamic and complex world .
“Beyond academics and military training the academy still values cultural respect and social engagement, recognising the diversity of our great country. Nigeria.”
He commended NDA for creating the platform where cadets can appreciate the rich cultures and build bonds that transit borders.
Amaram added, “The Armed Forces of Nigeria are playing a critical role in ensuring the stability and progress of our nation. “
He urged the academy to continue to record more successes in its mission of excellence and service to the nation.
Report says that awards were given to deserving soldiers who distinguished themselves in 2024.
report says that 22 soldiers were decorated from Warrant Officer(WO) to Master Warrant Officers(MWO). (NAN)
NEWS
Corps Member Donates Delivery Kits to Pregnant Women in Katsina
A Corps member serving in Katsina State, Blessing Ene-Ameh, has distributed free delivery kits to 50 pregnant women in Mani town, Mani Local Government Area of the state
The corps member distributed the delivery kits to the expectant mothers in Mani on Friday as part of her personal Community Development Service (CDS)project.
Eneh-Ameh said that she visited a hospital in the area during one of her group CDS programmes and observed that the hygiene of women in the antenatal and children’s wards was not too good.
The corps member also stated that she had noticed that the turn up of pregnant women for antenatal care was very low.
She said, ”This attracted my attention to the need to educate pregnant women on its importance.
“There is also the need for them to keep themselves and their surroundings very neat to avoid infections for themselves and their babies.
“The aim was also to educate them on the importance of planning for the future of the baby.
”They also need to be staying clean to reduce the risk of contracting infections and other diseases by both the mothers and children, as well as the community in general.
“The training will empower the women to be able to handle and bring up children for the family,” Eneh-Ameh explained.
The NYSC Coordinator in the state, Alhaji Sa’idu Ibrahim, commended the corps member for her ingenuity and magnanimity to carry out the project.
Represented by the Local Government Inspector, Alhaji Abdulrazak Ismail-Tsiga, the coordinator urged the corps members serving in the state and other parts of the country to emulate her. (NAN)