FCT PHD MARKS WORLD DIABETES DAY, URGES RESIDENTS TO EMBRACE EARLY SCREENING
By: Khadijat Kawunda
The FCT Public Health Department has called on residents of the Federal Capital Territory to prioritise early diabetes screening, embrace healthy lifestyles and seek timely medical intervention to prevent complications associated with the disease.
The Director, FCT Public Health Department, Dr Theresa Nwachukwu, made the call during activities marking the 2026 World Diabetes Day, at the UTC Murg Plaza Area 10, Abuja.
The activities featured an awareness walk around the UTC premises, alongside community screening and health education to encourage residents and traders of the Murg Plaza, to take proactive steps towards protecting their health.
Dr Nwachukwu noted that World Diabetes Day, observed annually on November 14, provides an opportunity to raise awareness about diabetes and encourage individuals to take proactive steps towards protecting their health.
Speaking on this year’s theme, “Early Action on Diabetes,” she emphasised the importance of regular screening, physical exercise, maintaining a healthy weight and adopting healthy lifestyle practices.
The Director highlighted the impact of ongoing diabetes awareness and screening interventions across the FCT, noting that through collaboration with the PenPlus Project, diabetes screening services have been extended to Primary Health Care Centres, bringing essential services closer to residents.
She explained that healthcare workers have also been trained to conduct screenings, identify elevated blood sugar levels and determine when patients require further medical attention or referral to secondary healthcare facilities.
Furthermore, Dr Nwachukwu drew attention to the need to pay greater attention to Type 1 diabetes among children and adolescents, stressing that diabetes is not exclusively an adult health concern. She urged parents and guardians to ensure that children and adolescents are screened when necessary, dispelling the misconception that young people are too young to develop diabetes or other non-communicable diseases.
Meanwhile, the FCT Non-Communicable Disease Coordinator and Head of the Non-Communicable Disease Division, Dr Olubumi Adeyemi, highlighted the range of activities organised by the Division to commemorate this year’s World Diabetes Day.
She disclosed that the activities commenced ahead of November 14, with outreach visits to organisations and public spaces, including supermarkets, motor parks and communities, to expand the reach of diabetes awareness and screening services.
In addition, she revealed that the programme includes community outreach at UTC Murg Plaza and Maami Market, an engagement at Millennium Park in collaboration with relevant partners, as well as school-based activities featuring debates amongst students to extend diabetes awareness to younger populations.
Dr Adeyemi also emphasised that diabetes screening should be a continuous exercise, explaining that a normal blood sugar result at one screening does not guarantee that an individual will not develop elevated blood sugar levels subsequently.
She therefore encouraged residents to make regular screening part of their healthcare routine to promote early detection and reduce the risk of developing preventable complications
Also speaking, a trader at the plaza, Mrs Hauwa Mohammed, commended the Department for bringing the screening exercise closer to the people, describing it as an opportunity for traders and other members of the public to access essential health services.
She noted that the exercise gave participants access to blood pressure checks, blood sugar level screening, and health education, helping them understand their health status and take appropriate steps where necessary.
The World Diabetes Day activities form part of the Department’s broader efforts to strengthen diabetes prevention, expand public awareness and improve access to screening services across the FCT.
