FCTA MARKS 2025 WORLD DIABETES DAY, CALLS FOR STRONGER WORKPLACE WELLNESS CULTURE

By Prudence Okonna and Adokuru Veronica Ikpemesi

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has joined the global community to call for improved workplace wellness and early screening to prevent and manage diabetes among employees.

Acting Director, Public Health Department of the Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr Dan Gadzama, made the call, during the flag off of the World Diabetes Day 2025 held at the Directorate of Road Transport Services (DRTS) Headquarters in Mabushi, on Wednesday, 12th November, 2025.

Dr Gadzama said this year’s theme, Diabetes and Well-being at the Workplace, underscores the importance of prioritising health in work environments, where many adults spend most of their day.

 “Every year, November 14 reminds us of the global burden of diabetes and our collective responsibility to act. Seven in ten adults living with diabetes are of working age, and this tells us that the workplace is a strategic setting for awareness, prevention, and management,” Dr. Gadzama said.

He noted that in Africa, over 24 million adults aged 20 to 79 are currently living with diabetes, a number projected to more than double by 2050 if urgent action is not taken.

 “Our response must be strengthened and multidimensional; medical, social, workplace, and policy-driven,” he added.

 The Acting Director emphasised the importance of integrating diabetes care into primary healthcare and ensuring equitable access to diagnosis, treatment, and self-management support.

Dr Gadzama commended the collaboration between the Public Health Department and DRTS, describing it as a model of interdepartmental partnership that prioritises staff well-being in service delivery.

He also revealed that as part of activities to mark the World Diabetes Week, the public health team will visit different workplaces such as the Police Force headquarters, National Assembly, Utako Motorpark, and the Federal Secretariat Complex, among others to provide

In her remarks, Acting Director, Directorate of Road Transport Services (DRTS), Deborah Osho appreciated the initiative, noting that the collaboration was timely, given the department’s recent experiences.

“We’ve been losing staff to sudden deaths over the years. This awareness is an opportunity to reach out to our workforce, ensure regular screening, and prevent both communicable and non-communicable diseases,” she said.

She emphasized the importance of health awareness among staff, noting that diabetes poses a major global challenge affecting productivity and quality of life.

Osho said that the collaboration with the FCT Department of Public Health aims to promote a sustained culture of workplace wellness, not just awareness for the day.

The Director therefore urged staff to take advantage of the screening and health education sessions, maintain regular exercise, healthy eating, and routine check-ups.

She thanked the Public Health Department for its partnership and reaffirmed DRTS’s commitment to making the workplace a center for health, wellness, and positive change.

Presenting a health talk, Dr. Felicia Anumah from the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH) emphasized the importance of prevention and early detection.

She listed key risk factors such as age, poor nutrition, obesity, and gestational diabetes which can affect both mother and child urging participants to adopt healthier lifestyles.

 “Diabetes is largely preventable. Modifying what we eat, exercising regularly, and getting screened can make all the difference,” she said.

Head of Non-Communicable Diseases Unit, Public Health Department, Dr. Olubunmi Adeyemi, explained that the essence of this year’s observance was to highlight the crucial role of employers and employees in diabetes prevention and management.

 “Seven out of ten people living with diabetes are in the workplace. We’re calling on both government and private employers to establish supportive policies, promote healthy habits, and ensure regular health checks for their workers,” Dr Adeyemi stated.

She added that the department had commenced a series of outreach programs across sister agencies within the FCT to cascade diabetes awareness and screening to more workplaces.

One of the beneficiaries, an Assistant Director and Head of Business Development at DRTS, Abdulgarfa Afolabi who participated in the session described the program as “timely and enlightening.”

“We’ve learned a lot today and we want this initiative to continue. Next year, we hope to prepare better and involve more staff because this program will go a long way in improving productivity and well-being,” he said.

Abuja Digest reports that the 2025 World Diabetes Day commemoration in the FCT continues with similar awareness and screening exercises across other agencies and workplaces in the coming days, as part of efforts to promote health, productivity, and quality of life among workers.

Some of the health screenings include checks for blood pressure, blood sugar, weight, height, and waist circumference, as well as nutrition counselling, malaria testing, and the administration of deworming medication.