The National Diabetes Association of Ghana has called for the establishment of a Council to govern and regulate the activities of practitioners who are into the management of diabetes in the country.

The absence of regulatory guidelines for diabetes management body has been a major setback in the management of their activities, leaving practitioners to engage in illegal activities.

“Creating this Council will also help the Association to organize necessary education programmes for them as well as the general public on diabetes.”

Mrs Elizabeth Denyoh made the call at the inauguration of a National Senior High School Diabetes Screening Project in Accra.

Dubbed the, “Screening of Diabetes in Greater Accra Senior High Schools,” the project aimed at educating, sensitizing and empowering the youth to take charge of their health especially with diabetes, as two million people in Ghana are living with the disease.

She described diabetes as one of the rising killer diseases globally, claiming one life every eight seconds and a limb at every 30 seconds.

Mrs Denyoh attributed the recent increase in diabetes to urbanization and lifestyle changes and mentioned not exercising, eating late, and sleeping just after eating, as some of the causes and “children are no exception”, she added.

She advised the youth to adopt healthy life styles, good hygienic practices and pleaded with government and other concerned stakeholders to waive the taxes on diabetes drugs and help train nurses as diabetes educators.

Mrs Adelaide Akuwah Buntal, Deputy Director of the National Health Insurance Scheme, lauded the organisers for the project that aimed at empowering the youth to take charge of their health and called on other stakeholders to join in the effort.

Mrs Miltida Amissah-Arthur, Wife of the Vice President, advised the students to exercise regularly to help keep their bodies fit and in shape, as well as their minds and heart.