SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – The Department of Health (DOH) in the Ilocos Region renewed its call to the public for the prevention and management of diabetes through regular exercise and healthy lifestyle practices.
This is after the DOH recorded a total of 7,174 newly diagnosed diabetes cases for 2022.
Based on the 2022 Field Health Services Information System (FHSIS) report, there are a total of 115,112 diabetes cases recorded in Ilocos region from 2016-2022.
In a statement, DOH Ilocos Regional Director Paula Paz Sydiongco said, “Health care access for diabetes patients is one of our priorities in the region, that’s why we have conducted mobile diabetic screening tests to visit municipalities and provide the needed interventions for diabetic individuals.”
“Kasama na rito ang pamimigay ng libreng maintenance medicines at regular consultations upang hindi na sila mahirapan pang pumunta sa hospital. Kami na ang nagdadala ng mga kailangan nilang serbisyo upang sila ay hindi mapabayaan,” she stated.
She added that the regional office, together with its partner agencies and stakeholders, conducts regular diabetes education, nutrition consultations, diabetes testing and monitoring, and diet and weight management to ensure that patients have access to proper information.
Last Tuesday, the DOH, through its Regional Non-Communicable Disease Unit headed by Regional Program Manager of Essential Non-Communicable Disease Erwin Baclig, Jr., celebrated World Diabetes Day in San Juan, La Union to ensure that diabetic patients in the region were properly monitored at the local level and given proper treatment regimen to manage their diabetes including free diabetes-related blood chemistry tests.
This year’s theme: “Access to Diabetes Care,” highlights the importance of diabetes care within reach, economical, and of high quality for all, irrespective of their socio-economic status or geographical location.
It is a shared responsibility of everyone including governments, healthcare providers, and communities.
Among the services provided for diabetes patients during the event were body mass index, medical consultation, nutrition counseling, diabetic retinopathy screening with the provision of free spectacles, blood pressure monitoring, blood testing, health risk assessment, urinalysis, and fasting blood sugar.
Other activities were a cooking contest, larong Pinoy for school children, poster-making contest and dance contest.
Winners were given cash prizes and plaques of appreciation.
Lectures on diabetes prevention and control and Zumba dance exercise were also conducted for diabetes patients.
The event was held in coordination with the Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center, National Nutrition Council, La Union Medical Society, and the local government of San Juan, La Union. (JCR/AMB/PIA Region 1)
