INTERNATIONAL NEWS - According to Statistics South Africa’s mortality and causes of death in South Africa, report 2014, diabetes was the number one underlying natural cause of death in the Western Cape with 3 006 deaths recorded.
It also ranked as the highest underlying natural cause of death amongst females and fourth highest amongst males.
World Diabetes Day is acknowledged on 14 November annually and offers health institutions across the world an opportunity to shed some light on this ‘silent killer’ – a condition in when the body does not properly process food by either not producing enough insulin or can't use its own insulin as well as it should. This causes sugars to build up in your blood.
The theme of World Diabetes Day 2016 is Eyes on Diabetes.
Diabetes can cause serious health complications including heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, and lower-extremity amputations.
It is estimated that another five million South Africans have pre-diabetes, a condition where insulin resistance causes blood glucose levels to be higher than normal, but not high enough yet to be type-2-diabetes.
The Western Cape Minister of Health, Dr Nomafrench Mbombo, says “many deaths and complications can be avoided if people went for screening and if people sought health care earlier. The Department has free testing available at all clinics when clients go for routine visits. So we encourage the public to get tested for diabetes. That is why it is important to prioritise healthy lifestyles.”
The risk profile of ordinary South Africans indicates that between 11-13% of the population may be diabetic or have impaired glucose tolerance and in the Western Cape, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) account for 60% of deaths from 2009 – 2013.
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