Olorunfemi Adebayo, a consultant endocrinologist at Federal Teaching Hospital Lokoja (FTHLokoja), has urged the government to address the rising menace of fake diabetes drugs in the country.

He made the call during a sensitisation and screening campaign on diabetes organised by FTHLokoja in collaboration with the Diabetes Association of Nigeria will mark the 2024 World Diabetes Day (WDD) with the theme ‘Breaking Barriers, Bridging Gaps’.

The consultant endocrinologist, however, said that the rising issue of fake diabetes drugs is a serious concern that the government should urgently address, as the counterfeit can be detrimental to people’s health.

Mr Adebayo, who also said that the drugs are expensive, urged the government to subsidise them to enable indigent citizens to access them, as he called on citizens to go for regular screening for early detection, noting that many people would have diabetes for years before experiencing symptoms.

He explained that “by the time they are diagnosed, some people already have eye, kidney, blood vessels, gum or nerve damage, which can increase the risk of heart and kidney failure, stroke, among others.”

He noted that the FTHLokoja targeted 200 people for the screening to commemorate the 2024 WDD, adding that the exercise would be carried out from time to time. 

He urged people with diabetes to eat lots of fruits and vegetables such as spinach, carrots, broccoli, more grains, green beans, non-fat dairy, and regular exercise.

The chief medical director of FTHLokoja, Olatunde Alabi, who launched the screening, stressed the need to educate people on their diabetes status.

Mr Alabi also stressed the government’s and relevant stakeholders’ need to raise awareness of early detection, saying, “Prevention is cheaper and better than cure.”

The chief medical director advised the people to go for diabetes screening at least twice a year and encouraged them to engage in regular exercise and proper diet.

(NAN)