A multi-purpose Diabetes Support Centre built at the Manhyia District Hospital in Kumasi, to enhance the quality of care for people suffering from diabetes has been inaugurated.

The facility - the sixth of its kind to be constructed in the country, would provide comprehensive diagnosis, management and treatment of diabetes and comes with a pharmacy, laboratory, education and counselling unit, consulting room and nutrition.

Novo Nordisk, a global pharmaceutical giant, specializing in the management of diabetes, funded the project under its “Base of Pyramid (BoP)” project.

Ghana Health Services (GHS) and Palb Pharmaceuticals also provided some support.

Ms. Maija Ilona Lebel, Public Affairs Manager of Nova Nordisk, said the Centre would work to ensure early diagnosis of the life-long disease by conducting free screening at regular basis to prevent complications.

Doing this, she noted, had become necessary amid the increasing number of cases in the Kumasi metropolis.

The Manhyia District Hospital, for example has been seeing an average of 40 new cases each month, with the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) – the nation’s second largest a referral facility, recording about 1,000 Out-Patient-Department (OPD) diabetic-related cases, every month.

Ms. Lebel stated that the Centre would help to improve self-management by patients through sustained public health education.

Dr. Alexis Nang-Beifubah, the Ashanti Regional Health Director, applauded Novo Nordisk for the initiative and urged stronger private sector support to tackle health challenges.

Nana Osei Hyiaman, Otumfuo’s Mawerehene, advised the public to avoid the intake of foods with high sugar contents and to also exercise their bodies regularly to stay healthy.