The World Health Organisation (WHO) would this year raise attention on the rising numbers of people living with and dying from diabetes and related conditions on World Health Day, which falls on April 7.
A statement issued by the WHO, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said special focus would be on those living in low- and middle-income countries.
It said the day would also highlight the main factors driving the growth challenges of many countries to address the diabetes epidemic; and the measures required to prevent, detect and treat diabetes.
It said the WHO would issue its first report on diabetes, which would detail the scale of the diabetes epidemic - globally, and in regions.
It said individual country profiles would also be available with information on the number of people living with diabetes, available services and other materials, by country.
The statement said on April 6, the WHO would stage a media conference at the United Nations Office at Geneva, with experts in the area of diabetes and non-communicable disease discussing the report’s findings, and providing information on the World Health Day.
Medical scientists say a person with diabetes has a condition in which the quantity of glucose in the blood is too elevated (hyperglycemia).
This is because the body does not produce enough insulin; produces no insulin; or has cells that do not respond properly to the insulin, which the pancreas produces.
The website of Medical News Today (MNT) explains that Insulin is a hormone that is produced by the pancreas.
“After eating, the pancreas automatically releases an adequate quantity of insulin to move the glucose present in our blood into the cells, as soon as glucose enters the cells blood-glucose levels drop,” it says.
With Type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin, and about 10% of all diabetes reportedly fall in this category.
However, with Type 2 diabetes the commonest condition, the body does not produce enough insulin for proper function.
There is also Gestational diabetes, which affects females during pregnancy.
The MNT, quoting the Williams Textbook of Endocrinology, said more than 382 million people throughout the world had diabetes in 2013.
Diabetes is a long-term condition that causes high blood sugar levels.
The most common diabetes symptoms include frequent urination, intense thirst and hunger, weight gain, unusual weight loss, fatigue, cuts and bruises that do not heal, male sexual dysfunction, numbness and tingling in hands and feet.
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