As the world marks the end of World Diabetes Month, leading pharmaceutical company Sanofi sponsored a free Diabetes Screening and Wellness Day at Impala Crescent Primary School in Lenasia recently. This is the second time that the company has focused on the Lenasia community.

World Diabetes Month provides an opportunity to raise awareness of diabetes as a global public health issue and what needs to be done, collectively and individually, for better prevention, diagnosis, and management of the condition.

Research shows that in 2014, 8.5% of adults aged 18 years and older had diabetes and that in 2019, diabetes was the direct cause of 1.5 million deaths. Of all these deaths, 48% occurred before the age of 70 years.²

African statistics shows that 1 in 22 adults (24 million) adults are living with diabetes and that the total number of people with diabetes is predicted to increase by 129% to 55 million by 2045.³

Diabetes in a nutshell

Diabetes is a chronic disease, which occurs when the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin, or when the body can’t effectively use the insulin it produces. This leads to an increased concentration of glucose in the blood (hyperglycaemia).

Type 1 diabetes, once known as insulin-dependent diabetes, is characterised by a lack of insulin production (occurs mainly in children). Type 2 diabetes, which was formerly known as non-insulin-dependent, is caused by the body’s ineffective use of insulin which often results from a combination of genetic and lifestyle factors. Gestational diabetes is hyperglycaemia that is first recognised during pregnancy. ¹

Access to Diabetes Care

As part of the World Diabetes Day theme, Access to Diabetes Care, Sanofi aims to provide free diabetes screening, build awareness on diabetes treatment, and promote a healthy lifestyle.

Lifestyle measures are effective in preventing or delaying the onset of Type 2 diabetes, such as achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight, eating healthy and staying physically active.

Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction and currently can’t be prevented, however, research looking at delaying and preventing Type 1 diabetes is actively being pursued.

“At Sanofi, we believe in engaging directly with local communities to ensure that we enhance knowledge about what diabetes is, how to detect it and how to live a long and healthy life while managing this condition. Similar to what we did previously, Sanofi is going out to communities to screen for the condition and we have partnered with influencers who are living with diabetes as well as those who are knowledgeable about how to maintain good health and nutrition to help ordinary people manage their condition, regardless of whether it’s Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes,” says Sanofi Diabetes Medical Advisor, Kiolan Naidoo.

Statistics show that over 1 in 2 (54%) people living with diabetes are undiagnosed.⁵ “Testing for diabetes is crucial for people as early detection can save lives as well as prevent or delay diabetes complications, which is why we have embarked on this campaign and plan to widen its reach in the years to come,” says Naidoo.

Use your influence

Influencers such as well-renowned hip-hop artist, Tshepo ‘Howza’ Mosese; fitness influencer, Mpoomy Ledwaba; model and diabetes activist, Thapi Semenya, and nutrition influencer, ‘Zanele the Cook’ hosted webinars and other forms of engagement to educate young people about diabetes under the hashtag #DiabetesDoesntDefineMe.

“We want to remind people that you can still enjoy a healthy, full life while living with diabetes, no matter your age, social status, or background,” concludes Naidoo. 

To learn more about diabetes click here.

References

1. World Health Organization. Diabetes key facts, 2022 [Online]. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/diabetes [ Accessed on 28/10/2022]
2. World Health Organization. Diabetes key facts, 2022 [Online]. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/diabetes [ Accessed on 28/10/2022]
3. International Diabetes Federation IDF. Diabetes around the world 2021, [Online ]. Available at: https://diabetesatlas.org/ [Accessed on 28/10/2022]
4. World Health Organization. Diabetes key facts, 2022 [Online]. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/diabetes [ Accessed on 28/10/2022]
5. International Diabetes Federation IDF. Diabetes around the world 2021, [Online ]. Available at: https://diabetesatlas.org/ [Accessed on 28/10/2022]