Religious leaders asked to fight diabetes

Religious leaders in the country have been urged to take part in the fight against diabetes in the country.

The call came from an organisation called JournAids during a gathering with media and clergy on Friday in Lilongwe.

In his speech, JournAids programme manager Dingaan Mithi said the religious leaders are in a better position to inform people about diabetes and how to prevent it.

“It is good to be discussing the issue of diabetes in places like mosques and churches because a lot of people gather in these places,” said Mithi.

He added that the disease is worth to be discussed among Malawians because it is spreading faster than HIV/AIDS.

“Among other things diabetes is also spreading fast because of poor nutrition and this is all because of poverty among a lot of Malawians,” Mithi said.

Speaking at the same function, Sheikh Yusuf Issa promised to heed the call by taking a leading role in disseminating information about diabetes.

Sheikh Issa said that they will work together with people within their churches/mosques and communities so that they will be able to know more about diabetes.

Diabetes is a disease in which the body’s ability to produce or respond to the hormone insulin is impaired, resulting in abnormal metabolism of carbohydrates and elevated levels of glucose in the blood and urine.

At the gathering that was held under the theme “calling for action for religious leaders” experts said there are three common types of diabetes which are type 1, type 2 and gestation diabetes which is among pregnant women.

In 2015, a million people died in the world due to diabetes.