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Friday,
August 24-September 7,
2007, #162 (1429)
By Anna Kamushadze An estimated 300 000 Georgians, or nearly one in twelve, suffer from diabetes. Now, the government is taking measures to combat the incurable metabolic disorder. On August 22, deputy Minister of Labor, Health and Social Affairs Davit Meskhishvili, joined by director of the National Diabetes Center Ramaz Kurashvili, held a press conference to announce the ministry's new information campaign. The Health Ministry will be publishing magazines and brochures to better inform the country about diabetes, and promote healthy lifestyles to ward off type-2 diabetes. Georgians are at risk, says Meskhishvili, because of unhealthy diets and lifestyles. "This disease is not only widespread in Georgia, but in developed countries as well. Someone dies from diabetes every five seconds," Meskhishvili told the Messenger. Meskhishvili explains that the estimate of 300 000 diabetes sufferers in Georgia is a rough guess, as many afflicted Georgians don't seek medical care. The ministry will attack diabetes from the twin angles of prevention and treatment. Along with promoting a non-smoking, healthy lifestyle, the ministry will provide free insulin treatments to poor diabetes patients. "For families below the poverty line which have someone sick with diabetes, the whole health care package will be free," Meskhishvili declared. Kurashvili, the National Diabetes Center director, told the Messenger there are a number of risk factors for diabetes. "There are two risk factors: stable and unstable. Stable risk factors for diabetes are the color of skin. For instance, there is bigger risk in black and yellow-skinned people to get sick than for whites. If the person has a family history of diabetes, then there is also a chance that genetic predisposition will lead to getting sick. Diabetes risk also increases with the age," Kurashvili says. 'Instable factors,' he adds, are unhealthy lifestyles which include tobacco, alcohol and too much food. High blood pressure, insomnia, fatigue and stress are all linked to diabetes, Kurashvili says. Educating those at risk for diabetes is crucial, he says. And he knows the condition's effects. "My parents are sick with diabetes. My father is 96 years old, and he has had diabetes for 15 years. My mother is 85, and has fought it for a long time as well," Kurashvili told the Messenger, adding that with proper care, diabetes is manageable. But to buy the necessary treatment and see doctors may cost more than many Georgians can afford, particularly pensioners. Although insulin shots will be available free, people with type-2 diabetes need saccharine, medicine and regular checks of their blood sugar level. 73-year-old Nina Obolashvili has had diabetes for five years, losing some weight and eyesight. When she was first diagnosed with diabetes, she went to the doctor for treatment, but the expense became too much for her family. She self-medicates now, and says it helps that she lives in a village, eats natural food and leads an active lifestyle. "It's good
when you can afford doctors and regular health checks, but not everyone
can, especially in the regions. My children provide me with medicine,
and I get a check-up once a year," Obolashvili told the Messenger. |
Health
Ministry launches public campaign against diabetes