Diabetes Camp 2018 highlights ‘prevention always better than cure’ as key theme
KAPIT: Prevention is always better than cure when it comes to reducing one’s chances of getting diabetes.
This was the key theme of ‘Diabetes Camp 2018’, which was launched by Kapit Resident’s Office administrative officer Wee Teck Min at the civic centre here recently.
In his remarks, Wee said one of most straightforward way to lower one’s chances of getting diabetes is to control the intake of sugar and other sweetening agents.
“Diabetes has been dubbed ‘ the mother of all sicknesses’. In severe cases, it can cause high blood pressure, blindness and kidney failure.
“Those who are already diabetics must be very careful when treating cuts and wounds which in many cases, could deteriorate further and cause the affected parts of the body, usually the legs, to be amputated,” he spoke at the event, organised by the Kapit Chapter of the Malaysian Diabetes Association ( MDA) in collaboration with the panel of advisors of Kapit Health Clinic.
The camp involved participants from Kapit Health Department, Kapit Health Department, MDA Kapit and individuals with diabetes from Kapit and Song districts.
Moreover, Wee commended Kapit Health Clinic director Dr Mohd Faizal for heading the camp’s organising committee, who worked together in running this programme for the local community.
Citing a report from the World Health Organisation (WHO), Wee said by 2030 diabetes would have become among the seven major chronic diseases that would kill people every year.
“In Malaysia, 3.6 million diabetes patients are as young as 18 years old. In Kapit alone, 3,100 patients are registered with Kapit Health Clinic,” he said, reiterating the importance of strict control of sugar consumption in one’s diet.
“A way to get rid of diabetes is to have less sugar intake. For example, go for ‘ kopi- O kosong’ (black coffee, without sugar).
“Remember — you control the sugar level and your health; never let diabetes control you.”
Activities run at the camp included a talk on diabetes by Dr Esther Kiyuh, a session on ‘ Healthy Diet’ by food science officer Jacqueline Joana, a talk on medication by pharmacist Ting Ngiik Ling, and a presentation about ‘ Treatments of Wounds on Diabetics’ by Wong Siew Ing – each followed by its own questionanswer session.