By Francis Sadhere
Founder/C.E.O, Graceland Diabetic Foundation, Mrs. Mercy O. Ekpoke has said that diabetic patients can live normal lives if the disease is well managed and diagnosed on time, adding that a lot of diabetic related death in Africa were as a result of late diagnosis.
Mrs. Ekpoke who spoke to our correspondent in an exclusive interview in our Warri Office today, lamented that a lot of people in Africa do not know that they are diabetic, stressing that even when some knew about it they do not come for treatment.
She said her foundation is dedicated to helping diabetic patients in Delta State in particular and Nigeria as a whole. She added that her foundation gives free diagnosis and free treatment to people and also creates awareness on how to manage the disease.
Mrs. Ekpoke, who is also a UK trained diabetic educator, stressed on the need for people to go for regular diabetes diagnosis because according to her, some patients do not show any signs or symptoms.
She said: “Since I came back from London, my foundation has been able to diagnose people living with diabetic for over twelve years in my community. A lot of people die from diabetes here in Delta State because we do have enough facilities to manage the disease like Lagos. Delta state has a lot of challenges. The few people we have diagnosed so far have already had complications with their kidney and liver because they have been living with it for a very long time. When your sugar level begins to rise without you taking your medications, then the whole body will be damaged.”
She also revealed that children too can suffer from diabetes, noting that a lot of people in Nigeria do not know this. She said most times the children are treated for malaria instead of diabetes.
Mrs. Ekpoke lamented that parents of these children cannot afford the insulin needed to treat the children.
She therefore, called on well meaning Nigerians to come out and donate to the children suffering from diabetes and are from poor background, adding that donors who do not want to donate through her foundation are free to donate directly to the families.
“We give donors the opportunity to donate directly to the families because all I am trying to do is to make sure that I save lives. I came from a diabetic family and right now one of my cousins and sister are diabetic. So because of this, when I was in London I told my husband that I want to branch into the field of diabetes because of what happened in my family. I want people to know that diabetes disease is deadly if not properly managed. Here, in Delta State, as soon as you diagnose people for diabetes they will run away and not come back form their treatment,” she said.
she said symptoms of diabetes varies from patient to patient, but added that some of the signs commonly experienced include: Frequent urination, excessive thirst, increased hunger, weight loss, tiredness, lack of interest and concentration, tingling sensation or numbness in the hands or feet and blurred vision.
The UK trained diabetic educator noted that some diabetes can be hereditary, calling on everybody to go for regular diabetic diagnosis even when they do not have any symptoms.
She said diabetes is managed through proper diet, regular exercise and proper treatment.
She also said that she has written a book called “Diabetes Home Guide” that will help diabetic patients manage themselves even when they are away from their homes. She said the book does not supersede what your doctor prescribed for you, saying that proceeds from from the sale of the book goes for the treatment of diabetic patients whose conditions are critical and required a minimum of 150 thousand niara to maintain.
Graceland Diabetes Foundation is dedicated to creating awareness of Diabetes and Hypertension in the public and the community, encouaging healthy eating, education and research, healthy weights and to preventing untimely death.
