There are eight million people with diabetes in the philippines
But only half know they have it. 'Buti pa ang langgam, alam.'
More than 3,000 participants gathered at the Liwasang Aurora of Quezon City Circle as early as 5 a.m. on Nov. 14, to form a human blue circle not only to celebrate World Diabetes Day (WDD), but also in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the Most People Opening Umbrellas simultaneously.
The blue circle, which is the logo of WDD, symbolizes positivity, unity and strength against the non-communicable disease.
Spearheaded by the Lion’s Club headed by Governor Generoso del Rosario, the QC local government represented by Vice Mayor Gian Sotto, global healthcare company Novo Nordisk represented by VP and GM Cihan Serdar Kizilcik, and the Royal Danish Embassy represented by Danish Ambassador Grete Sillasen joined hands in raising awareness on the impact of diabetes in the family and promoting the role of the family, the community and the local government in the management, care, prevention and education of people afflicted with the disease.
They were joined by representatives from the Department of Health-NCR, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology, the Institute for the Study of Diabetes Foundation, Diabetes Philippines and the Institute of Reproductive Health.
“When I was a kid, I remember receiving the Guinness Book of World Records as a gift for Christmas. And I found myself going through the pages of the weird records. One couldn’t help but wonder why people are doing all this crazy stuff just to get into the book of records,” shared Ambassador Sillasen.
The lady ambassador admitted that if anybody invited her to participate in an attempt to break a world record back then, she would have said no.
“But here I am doing just that to raise awareness about diabetes,” she enthused. “And it makes all the sense in the world. Diabetes is a global disease, but we can do something about it.”
In the Philippines, there are eight million people with diabetes. And among that number, only half know they have it. And, as they say, “buti pa ang langgam alam.”
“I’ve been living with diabetes for 18 years now — since I was 13,” shared Johanah Co, a member of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Young Leaders in Diabetes Program. “I knew something was wrong because I would always be thirsty, I would get tired easily and ants were attracted to my urine. That’s when my parents decided to seek medical help.”
First introduced in 1991, in recognition of Frederick Banting (whose birthday falls on Nov. 14) and Charles Best, who discovered insulin, WDD is held every year to help awareness about the causes, prevention methods and healthcare burden of the disease worldwide.
A shared responsibility
The statistics are alarming. The number of adults with diabetes is expected to hit a whopping 629 million globally in 2045. Locally, it is estimated that 12 million adult Filipinos will be diagnosed with diabetes by year 2040.
“The recent survey results from FNRI and DOST revealed that the number of diabetic patients in the Philippines has already reached 7.8 percent. Those that are pre-diabetic is 8.2 percent. That means if you combine those figures, we are now looking at more or less 15 percent of our population have the risk for diabetes and its complications,” said Dr. Jeremy Robles, president of the Society of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism.
According to Dr. Robles, diabetes per se isn’t dangerous.
“But its complications, like blindness, loss of limbs and kidney problems are what we want to prevent,” he stressed.
When diabetes is uncontrolled, it leads to a myriad of complications such as being four times more likely to have stroke or three times more likely to have heart diseases.
“There are also the loss of a limb or kidney failure. Diabetes is the most common cause of end stage kidney disease,” warned Dr. Robles.
Dialysis, an intervention when there is kidney failure, is the top claim in PhilHealth reimbursement at P8 billion in 2016. And so there is a need for concerted effort for patients, government and private institutions to work together to prevent and control diabetes and its complications.
“Diabetes affects you or someone close to you. Being aware of this is part of the shared responsibility between doctors and patients to screen for diabetes and work towards early control of the disease to prevent complications. Novo Nordisk is committed to work with government and other stakeholders to help control the disease,” said Kizilcik, VP and general manager of Novo Nordisk Philippines, the global leader in producing the best insulin.
The Dutch company also donated insulin to Hope Worldwide Philippines Inc., which will benefit 30 children afflicted with the disease for a year.
The Quezon City government expressed its support for WDD partnership as it continuously seeks to alleviate the medical condition of its constituents.
“QC Mayor Joy Belmonte and the City Council are creating diabetes awareness and educational programs that we bring to the barangay level to educate our constituents about the disease,” said Vice Mayor Gian Sotto.
One of the programs the QC Council wants to adapt is the “Pinggang Pinoy,” which provides a guide on the proper choices of food for Filipinos.
“Stay away from salty food items and mind your rice intake,” the Vice Mayor advised.
Instant noodles have become a regular fare of indigent families because they’re easy to prepare and don’t cost much.
“But there are healthier alternatives available in the market. Teach your kids how to eat veggies, fish and tofu. Stay away from extra rice because too much carbohydrates could shoot up your blood sugar levels,” recommended Sotto. “Be more active and work out.”
According to Sotto, QC Mayor Joy Belmonte, who just came back from an official engagement in Denmark, plans to create more bike lanes in Quezon City to encourage people to use their bikes in going to school or work.
“Copenhagen is the ‘Bike Capital of the World. So may I ask Ambassador Sillasen for some advice?” said the Vice Mayor to which Ambassador Sillasen replied: “Like with everything else, it’s all about good urban planning. If you give people the infrastructure for having a better life, they will use it. If you create nice parks, people will go there to have a nice walk and exericse. What we have done in Copenhagen is that we have bike lanes everywhere, and we have secure pavements everywhere.”
Today, 62 percent of the people in Copenhagen go to their work or schools by bike. In that way you help people to start moving. Because exercise should preferably not get in the way of your fitness. Exercise should be part of your daily routine.
“And then don’t tell me about the climate. I know it’s hot and humid here in the Philippines, and it rains a lot. In Copenhagen, we get a lot of rain and snow. Come to Copenhagen in winter, and people are still on their bikes. In Denmark, we say there’s no such thing as bad weather, it’s all about inadequate clothing. So everybody will have a rain suit and they put it on when it’s raining. It can be done,” enthused Ambassador Sillasen.
Indeed, diabetes prevention involves committing to a healthy lifestyle such as eating healthy, being physically active and maintaining an ideal body weight.
“It’s never too late to start making lifestyle changes. The role of the family is very important in fighting the disease. We should together learn about the warning signs of diabetes and each family member’s risk for the disease,” added Dr. Grace Ko delos Santos, Diabetes Philippines president.
The Philippine Society of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism shares “Apat Dapat,” the four pillars of diabetes management: Pagkonsulta sa Doctor, Pag-inom ng gamot at Tamang Dyeta at Ehersisyo.
“We teach our patients to eat right and move. Take time to exercise for 30 minutes every other day. We emphasize the need for continued follow up and clinic visit so we can guide them with the treatment,” added Dr. Jeremy Robles.
