04/09/2017
Liberia Diabetes Center Providing Hope For People Living With Diabetes
âŚThe AlethaBlamo Experience
By Varney K. Sirleaf
Diabetes, a world epidemic which cure has not been found according to scientists is one of the many diseases in Liberia that is slowly taking away the lives of many people.
Commonly known as the âsugar sicknessâ, the disease is increasingly taking toll on the Liberian populace and as a result, most of the medical reports on death from most of the countryâs referral hospitals are diagnosed of diabetes or âsugar sicknessâ.
At present, there is no public health facility in the country or government policy on the treatment of people living with diabetes or sugar sickness in Liberia.
According to the online website www.diabetesaustralia.com, diabetes is a serious complex condition which can affect the entire body.
Further research also reveals that diabetes requires daily self care and if complications develop, diabetes can have a significant impact on quality of life and can reduce life expectancy.
âWhile there is currently no cure for diabetes, you can live an enjoyable life by learning about the condition and effectively manage it,â the research stated.
Diabetes can be managed well but the potential complications are the same for type 1 and type 2 diabetes including heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, limb amputation, depression, anxiety and blindness.
It also explained that people who are diabetes or sugar patients if not treated or managed can lead to the followings:
Is the leading cause of blindness in working age adults
Is a leading cause of kidney failure and dialysis
Increases the risk of heart attacks and stroke by up to four times
Is a major cause of limb amputations
Affects mental health as well as physical health. Depression, anxiety and distress occur in more than 30% of all people with diabetes
However, the report says early diagnosis, optimal treatment and effective ongoing support and management reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications.
Why is diabetes increasing?
All types of diabetes are increasing in prevalence:
Type 1 diabetes accounts for 10% of all diabetes and is increasing
Type 2 diabetes accounts for 85% of all diabetes and is increasing
Gestational diabetes in pregnancy is increasing
The research stated further that Type 2 diabetes is increasing at the fastest rate. There are large numbers of people with silent, undiagnosed type 2 diabetes which may be damaging their bodies.
âType 2 diabetes is one of the major consequences of the obesity epidemic. The combination of massive changes to diet and the food supply, combined with massive changes to physical activity with more sedentary work and less activity, means most populations are seeing more type 2 diabetes,â it stated.
Symptoms
âIn type 1 diabetes, symptoms are often sudden and can be life-threatening; therefore it is usually diagnosed quite quickly. In type 2 diabetes, many people have no symptoms at all, while other signs can go unnoticed being seen as part of âgetting olderâ.Therefore, by the time symptoms are noticed, complications of diabetes may already be present,â the research outlined.
It listed the followings as the common symptoms of diabetes which include:
Being more thirsty than usual
Passing more urine
Feeling tired and lethargic
Always feeling hungry
Having cuts that heal slowly
Itching, skin infections
Blurred vision
Unexplained weight loss (type 1)
Gradually putting on weight (type 2)
Mood swings
Headaches
Feeling dizzy
Leg cramps
Is There Any Hope For Liberians?
The answer is an emphatic YES!
The Liberia Diabetes Center (LDC) on Front Street, opposite the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) is doing a tremendous work to help Liberians diagnose and manage their sugar level.
Established in 2015 by a Liberian living and working in the United States of America, Mr. James Momoh said he saw the need to establish this center to help save the lives of more Liberians by testing their sugar level and providing the rightful education about the danger of diabetes.
He said when he visited the country two years ago after many years in the US, he found out that diabetes was taking the lives of many people and said that what really frustrated him was that the people do not have a center to go to do their testing or to acquire proper education about the disease.
Mr. Momoh said that it was what prompted him to establish the Liberia Diabetes Center.
âI am encouraging all Liberians to come out to do your sugar test and other tests just for a little amount of LD$200.00. Donât sit there until things worsen for you before you run to hospital,â Mr. Momoh urged Liberians.
The AlethaBlamoh Experience
The Lady AlethaBlamoh who lives in Du-port Road Baptist Field Community is a victim of this disease called diabetes.
According to her, this entire thing started sometimes back in 2001 when she had four miscarriages whenever she got pregnant and explained further that whenever pregnant and went to the hospital; doctors would tell her that her sugar levelwas up.
She said she did not take it seriously because according to her, it was just occurring every time she was pregnant so she did not really care to do further check up.
âNot knowing that this disease was actually eating me up until 2010 when things started getting worse for me, I started taking treatment, but I was not still serious about it till my feet started getting swollen up. I went to the Catholic Hospital where I was hospitalized for three weeks whereI was told that all my toes were gone so my foot had to be amputated, but Catholic Hospital did not cut my leg because they said they never had the equipment. They later told me to go toNimbaTappita Hospital to get treatment. It was where they amputated my right leg twice because they said the first one was not done properly,â Ms. Aletha gave account of what happened to her.
She stated further that she lost total hope for life and almost gave up until she heard about the Liberia Diabetes Center in Monrovia.
âWhen I visited the Liberia Diabetes Center, they gave me hope to live again and since then I have been receiving drugs, other supplements and monetary support from the Center. Recently, they also provided me with crutches to enable me walk. They told me that my two children need me to live so I can help them grow up. I want to thank Mr. James Momoh for his humanitarian goodwill gesture he continues to demonstrate towards me and many others. Also, I want to call on all Liberians to stop doubting the danger of the disease diabetes. I want you to please go to the Liberia Diabetes Center to do regular check-up of your sugar level. Please, I do not want you to have the same difficult experience that I am going through now; the disease is dangerous; do not overlook it. Diabetes can kill and get you amputated or even prevent women from having children, so please do your test and take all your medication on time,â she appealed to Liberians.
Currently, she is using a wheelchair to commute and to go to work as she is a classroom teacher.
The Diabetes Center is currently conducting testing, weight checking, heart testing and providing supplements for nutritional support amongst others.
They have also brought in the country exercising equipment which are now installed at the Front Street Office for regular exercising of diabetes patients.
This page was purposely created to highlights developmental issues concerning the people of Kongba; and to connect all Kongba citizens across the world.
