South Africa: Free State Government and the Bongi Ngema-Zuma Foundation Join Hands to Commemorate World Diabetes Day in Sasolburg’s Zamdela township
Sasolburg, Free State — The Bongi Ngema-Zuma Foundation has joined hands with the Free State provincial government to create awareness about diabetes, and curb its spread in a country with an estimated 6.5 million living with the pandemic.
Bongi Ngema-Zuma Foundation Join
Diabetes has been declared a global “major health problem” with 366 million people living with the disease according to the International Diabetes Federation.
The citizens of Zamdela township, Sasolburg, in the Fezile Dabi municipality were joined at Moses Kotane stadium by fellow Free State province citizens to belatedly commemorate the World Diabetes Day, which is marked on November 14 of every year.
At estimated 5 000 people attended the event and participated in a five-kilometre walk around the township, screening and testing for diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol, TB, HIV and Aids.
Speaking at the event was the host MEC Fezi Ngubentombi, who called on individual members of our communities to take full responsibility for their health. “Regular visits to a health facility, living a healthy lifestyle and following an exercise programme will assist. It is never too late to change your lifestyle and live healthy.”
“One only needs to consider the fact that already an estimated 366 million people worldwide live with diabetes to appreciate the extent to which we are all required to do something to stop this pandemic,” said Madam Bongi Ngema-Zuma, the patron of the Foundation.
“Our call is for everyone to take responsibility for their lives to ensure that we create awareness about diabetes and associated diseases. This starts with taking care of the food we eat, keeping fit through physical exercise, and seeking to know our status by screening and testing so we can better manage our health,” she added. She established the Bongi Ngema-Zuma Foundation 15 months ago with the aim of raising awareness about diabetes and Non-Communicable Diseases so no one – in the long term – will die because of lack of awareness. The Foundation’s focus is on predominantly black people in rural, peri urban and township areas and also includes rural development and education.
The Free State province has a prevalence of maternal deaths due to diabetes which is often diagnosed very late in prospective mothers’ pregnancy.
If nothing is done about curbing the pandemic the number of people with diabetes will rise to 552 million in 20 years – with a further 398 million at high risk. Diabetes has the devastating effect of exacerbating TB, HIV and Aids. The burden of disease related to Non-Communicable Diseases will also increase substantially if there’s no action taken. The world is already spending US$465 billion in diabetes healthcare – a figure expected to grow to US$595 billion by 2030.
In addition to the several Free State provincial government departments, private sector companies such as hospital group Netcare, petrochemical company Sasol and pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk participated in the event by providing sponsorships for screening and testing kits, medical and nursing staff, and information material on diabetes.
