Diabetes week at JPMC

A local patient receiving diabetes test.

Jerudong Park Medical Centre is running a diabetes week, between October 13-24, to raise awareness of the condition among the public at its outpatient clinic and pharmacy.

"People often take their health for granted and many may not be fully aware of the seriousness of diabetes. In Outpatients, we are now taking an increasingly proactive role in health care, using prevention strategies and screening tests to help detect potential diabetics before any serious symptoms become apparent. Many Bruneians may have high blood glucose levels without being aware of it, so we decided to launch a Diabetes Week at JPMC, in conjunction with International Diabetes Week, to encourage the public to come forward for a simple test," commented Dr C Sulaiman Hill, HOD Outpatients, JPMC.

"If someone already has diabetes, the free blood sugar test can help monitor how well controlled their condition is."

According to the Ministry of Health 2002 statistics, diabetes is the third main cause of death in Brunei.

Diabetes is a condition in which the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood is too high because the body fails to process it properly.

There are two main types of diabetes: Type 1 diabetes develops when the body is unable to produce sufficient amount, or any, insulin. While type 2 diabetes develops when the body fails to produce sufficient level of insulin, when the insulin that is produced does not work properly (also known as insulin resistance).

The symptoms include increased thirst, going to the toilet frequently, extreme tiredness, weight loss and blurred vision.

Although diabetes cannot be cured, it can be treated very successfully with a combination of diet, exercise, weight control and, in some cases, medication. There are many misconceptions surrounding diabetes including perceiving it as a 'mild' condition. Detecting diabetes early ensures early treatment, reducing the risk of serious complications that could be developed over time.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin