Minister for Health Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has expressed worry over children and teenagers who are living with diabetes.
He revealed that the type one and type two diabetes in children and teenagers is on the rise affirming his commitment to reduce to the barest minimum.
The Health Minister’s statement was read on his behalf by a representative of the Ministry during the launch of Affordable Access to Diabetes Care; Kids and a Diabetes in School under the auspices Sanofi.
“Diabetes was seen as a condition mostly affecting adults but the current situation is different worldwide and in Ghana we have seen a concerning rise in both type one and type 2 diabetes among children and teenagers as young people not only deal with the physical challenges for the disease but also face stigma”, the Minister stated.
The Juaboso Member of Parliament commended Sanofi for the initiative stressing that the partnership is a commitment to safeguarding the health of our children.
“This signals a collective resolve to take action against one of the most pressing public health emergency and challenges of our time that is diabetes”, Hon. Akandoh empjasized.
He revealed that the initiative which formed part of an MoU signed by the Ministry and Sanofi is to ensure affordable access to diabetes care adding that the partnership has only yielded significant results over the period.
“This initiative is a step towards focusing on prevention and education especially through our schools kids”, he said.
He further revealed that 160 general practitioners have been mentored through a comprehensive and context training model adding that the partnership has led to the donation of essential diagnostics to facilities across the country.
He emphasized that the initiative also ensures that students are not only taught academic subjects but also empowered to make inform decisions about their health and well-being adding that we are in an era where every Ghanaian child has knowledge about diabetes and the confidence to live the healthy life free from preventable disease like diabetes.
Hon. Akandoh expressed commitment strengthen the partnership in order to scale up the fight against diabetes in the country.
Source:www.senaradioonline.com
