Kampala — Close to 2 million Ugandans live with diabetes, according to studies and expert opinions from the Ministry of Health.
Commemorating the World Diabetes day in Kampala recently, Minister of health Christine Ondoa said Non Communicable Diseases (NCD'S) including diabetes are currently the leading killer diseases globally and are on the increase.
"WHO estimates that NCD's were responsible for 63% of deaths in 2008 and 80% of these deaths occurred in low and middle income countries including Uganda," revealed Ondoa.
Dr. Gerald Mutungi Ag. Commisioner NCD's reiterated the need for strengthening health systems to keep diabetes under surveillance and improve capacity to effectively prevent NCD's.
During the high level meeting of the General Assembly on prevention and control of NCD's in September 2011, heads of governments acknowledged the burden and threat of NCD's and pledged to increase awareness on them.
"The health ministry is committed to increase awareness especially on the four shared risk factors including tobacco use, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets and harmful use of alcohol as measure to reduce the incidence of diabetes," Mutungi said added.
Diabetes is a syndrome marked by high levels of blood glucose.
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