Sarangani on diabetes alert

By BEVERLY PAOYON

ALABEL, Sarangani (May 22, 2008) – Medics and Capitol officials have launched a diabetes alert in Sarangani due to the growing cases of the "silent disease" in the country every year.

Representatives from Multicare Pharmaceuticals, Philippine Association of Medical Technologists and from Sarangani Provincial Health Office performed a free blood sugar screening for Capitol employees and residents Monday (May 19).

The screening coincided with the launching of the Diabetes Alert Program, a value added service of Multicare Pharmaceuticals to make people aware that "diabetes is a very serious disease," said Edwin Butiong, Multicare district manager.

"Right now our thrust is to have the people informed about diabetes," Butiong stressed.

Dr. Anthony Canda of General Santos City Doctors Hospital described diabetes as a "serious, costly and silent disease" and warned that people should be careful with their daily food intake and do regular exercise.

"We do not tell you not to eat but to have dietary modification like low sugar and low fat meals." Canda said.

He said in the Philippines, cases of diabetes have been increasing yearly.

While in the United States, Canda said, diabetes is the 6th leading cause of deaths.

When a person reaches 45 years old, Canda said they should subject themselves to a test especially that Asians are prone to this disease.

The diabetes program in Sarangani is the fourth that Multicare has conducted in Mindanao. It was first launched in Tagum, Davao Del Norte then in Compostela Valley Province and North Cotabato.

Later on, Butiong said his firm will bring the program down to the seven municipalities of Sarangani like what they are doing in the first three provinces.

Butiong said their team in South Mindanao is the pilot district in the Philippines but after their management saw the need to elevate the program to the national level, they will initiate the campaign starting this year to districts of Multicare in Cagayan de Oro and anywhere in the country. (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE/BCP)