Recent statistics show that over 11 million Nigerians who are Diabetic are yet to be fully diagnosed, throwing a harrowing challenge to eliminating the diseases.
Professor Zuba Ilyasu, disclosed this while delivering a Keynote address at the 14th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Association of Clinical Endocrinologists of Nigeria, ACEN, in Kano.
The Conference, themed “Endocrinology and Public Health,” brought together experts to discuss the rising prevalence of diabetes and other non-communicable diseases in Nigeria and Africa .
Professor Ilyasu noted that adequate sensitization and enlightenment needed to be accorded to the general populace on life style needed to be adopted in addressing the menace of diabetes and obesity.
The Chairman of the occasion, Emeritus Professor Musa Borodo, decried the high cost of healthcare delivery in the country, emphasizing the need for strategies to reduce the burden of illnesses like obesity and diabetes.
Borodo noted that the conference would fine-tune modalities for enlightening the public on healthy lifestyles and disease prevention.
The President of ACEN, Dr Williams Balogun, highlighted the need for government and stakeholders to invest more resources in addressing the menace of non-communicable diseases.
He emphasized the association's commitment to providing strategies for addressing the rising burden of diabetes and obesity.
“This meeting will unveil a variety of ideas and research with a view to ensuring that these menaces of diabetes and obesity are thoroughly addressed.”
Speaking while declaring the Conference open, Governor Abba Kabir, represented by the Commissioner for Heath, Dr Abubakar Yusuf, said the conference was timely.
He said Kano State would not relent in partnering with Medical Associations like ACEN with a view to addressing diabetes, obesity among challenging diseases .
Yusuf appealed to participants of the conference to come up with resolutions that would address high increases in diabetes and obesity diseases.
The conference aims to unveil various ideas and research findings to address the menace of diabetes and obesity.
