World Diabetes Day: Rainbow Hospital Begins Free Screening in Lagos

As part of activities to mark the 2022 World Diabetes Day (WDD), Rainbow Specialist Medical Centre, a private hospital with a focus on the management of diabetes and other endocrine and metabolism conditions, has begun free diabetes screening and education for the public.

The screening runs from Monday, November 14 to Wednesday, November 30 – Mondays to Fridays – between 9 am and 4 pm on weekdays at the hospital premises in Lekki phase 1, Lagos. 

World Diabetes Day is marked globally by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) on November 14 every year.

The theme for diabetes awareness month and World Diabetes Day 2022 is “Education to protect tomorrow”, which the hospital says remains its core activity in its efforts to provide quality care for Nigerians living with diabetes while also creating awareness of its growing increase in the country. 

“We are, therefore, encouraging everyone including people living with diabetes and their family members to seize the opportunity of this exercise to know their status and how to care for people living with the condition.

“It’s also an opportunity for people to know their status, especially given findings that 1 out of every 2 persons living with diabetes do not know they have it. Yet, early detection of diabetes remains crucial in the prevention of deadly complications,” the statement read in parts. 

It further noted that persons with uncontrolled diabetes would develop a wide range of complications linked with the disease, some of which could lead to lengthy hospital stays, blindness, foot amputation or death. 

According to Rainbow Specialist Hospital, they want people living with diabetes to know that it can be controlled and should not be allowed to result in the numerous complications associated with it.

“The exercise will also serve as an avenue for them to have their feet checked to prevent the growing problem of diabetes. Not only that, it will provide access to basic information on how to live with the condition and stay healthy all year round”, the statement further said.