Obasanjo Foundation flags-off free diabetes screening for 10m Nigerians

[By VICTOR NZE]

Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation (OOF) has flagged-off its free diabetes screening campaign for 10 million Nigerians across the country.

The event which is part of activities to mark the World Diabetes Day, took place at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library Complex, Abeokuta, in Ogun State.

Following the flag-off, the diabetes screening campaign team is expected to move to all states of the federation for the next 12 months, screening Nigerians free of charge and also offering counselling and survival tips to those who test positive to the disease.

Delivering his welcome address during the flag-off ceremony, through a video message, the Founder/Chairman Board of Trustees of the Foundation, former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who was unavoidably absent due a continental assignment at the instance of African Union (AU) and was represented by his wife, Mrs Bola Obasanjo, expressed his delight at the commencement of the campaign.

Obasanjo said: “For me, this is a dream come true as it has always been something I have always longed for and today, it has become a reality. There is no better way to mark this year’s World Diabetes Day than to lend a helping hand to those suffering from the disease.

“Being a diabetic patient myself for many years, I understand the pains and challenges people suffering from the disease are faced with on a daily basis that is why we have thought it wise to launch this campaign to ameliorate the sufferings of an average Nigerian who cannot access the basic health need to manage the disease.

“Like I would always say, diabetes is not a death sentence. With early detection and the right kind of information, people should be able to manage the disease and live a healthy lifestyle for as long as God wish to keep them. Information is key and that is one thing we hope to achieve with this campaign, equipping people with relevant information about the disease.”

On his part, Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, who represented State Governor Dapo Abiodun at the event, commended the Foundation for coming up with such a human-centric initiative, designed to impact the lives of people positively.

“I am proud to be associated with the Foundation in all its efforts towards touching and improving the lives of Nigerians irrespective of where they come from. We as a government will be willing to partner with the foundation to drive some of its health-related programmes for the betterment of our people,” the commissioner remarked.

Chief Executive Officer, Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation, Dr Olalekan Makinde, reiterated the body’s commitment towards ensuring that health particularly, non-communicable diseases are given adequate attention.

“We at Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation are delighted to be at the forefront of this campaign, which we strongly believe would have significant impact in the lives of people suffering from diabetes.”

The one-day event featured free screening for people, a novelty match between Team OBJ and ex-Super Eagles players, as well as, a dinner to wrap it up in the evening.

On ground to support the Foundation were; the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, SageLife, Prime Coffee among several others.

The OOF is a non-profit organisation established to confront issues that touches the bane of human existence such as security, health, education, food & nutrition, youth empowerment which are capable of affecting productivity in Nigeria and indeed Africa.

It would be recalled that during a press conference in Abeokuta held to announce the free diabetes screening exercise in October and also to reel out plans for the World Diabetes Day celebrations, former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, advised Nigerians on the proper management of diabetes.

The former President told the gathering that he was diagnosed with diabetes more than 40 years ago, adding that he has been able to survive the disease by maintaining good healthy diet and regular exercise.

He said diabetes had no known cure yet and had continued to claim lives yearly, advising those living with diabetes to manage the disease well by maintaining good healthy lifestyle, saying diabetes, although has no known cure, but it is not a killer disease.

“It is a disease that strikes you whether you are white, black or yellow. And for now, there is no known cure, but it can be managed like other diseases that have no cure.

“And to know that it can be managed, I think I’m a typical example, I have been diagnosed diabetic more than 40 years ago. And the fact that after 40 years of been diabetic, I’m still alive, kicking and walking about, doing within limit all the things that I would want to do, carrying out my exercises and going places is an indication that if you are diabetic, you can manage it.

“And it is simple, there are dos and don’ts once you know that you are a diabetes patient, stick to the dos and move away from the don’ts and then you can live for as long as God as destined you to live in active service to humanity and to God.

“Let us mark this year’s diabetes day with a resolve to stand by those of us who are diabetic to do what is right.

“And those of you who are close to us, diabetes patients, make sure that we do not inadvertently continue to commit suicide by not doing what we should do and by doing what we should not do.”