City dad proposes “Diabetes Care” area in health centers

CEBU, Philippines - With the aim to monitor and reduce Diabetes cases in Cebu City, Councilor Alvin Arcilla is proposing for the establishment of a “Diabetes Care Section” in all the Barangay Health centers in the city.

 â€œThe City of Cebu, being the most populous and growing metropolis outside Metro Manila is a naturally high risk City with regards to Diabetes considering the diet and lifestyle associated in big and highly urbanized cities like Cebu,” Arcilla said.

 The rate of diabetes cases, Arcilla said is increasing affecting 9.7 percent of the adult population in 2012 and by 2030 the diabetic Filipinos are pegged to reach 6.16 million.

 â€œThe city’s primary resource is its populace which accounts for a big percentage in the country’s pool of professionals, technocrats and entrepreneurs and that the city should take well care of it,” Arcilla said.

 Diabetes is a metabolic condition characterized by elevated glucose or blood sugar levels, either because the body does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced.

 Once this proposed measure is approved, the City Department Health will set guidance, rules and regulations; acquire equipment and spearhead an extensive information and awareness campaign on Diabetes mellitus “to raise the level of awareness of our constituents on the ills, causes and symptoms of the disease for its early detection and prevention.”

 City Health Department Chief Dr. Daisy Villa said the proposed ordinance is laudable; however the scope of operation is vague.

 Villa said establishing such health care facilities in Cebu’s 80 barangays may be a “huge program” and would require more medical experts.

 â€œNindot man ni nga proposal but also dako kaayo nga programa tapos ibutang sa tanang health centers nga midwife ang nag-manage. The program should be looked into by the doctors,” Villa told The FREEMAN.

 For constant monitoring and easy referral, Villa said the Diabetes clinics should be “centralized” in the city’s main health centers or urban centers, such as Mabolo (North), Basak Pardo (South), Parian (East), Punta Princesa (West) and Bario Luz (Central).

 Villa said the clinics must not just limit to diabetic patients but also to those individuals with diseases like metabolic, cardiovascular, chronic and non-communicable diseases (cancer, asthma, hypertension, osteoporosis, among others).  (FREEMAN)