Hemas Hospitals Thalawathugoda hosts awareness program to mark World Diabetes Day

Sri Lanka’s premium healthcare partner Hemas Hospitals Thalawathugoda conducted a special awareness campaign in lieu of the World Diabetes day which fell on 14 November. 

The program which spanned from 10-17 November served to raise awareness about diabetes which is currently the eighth leading cause of global deaths and is expected to be the fifth by 2030 according to the World Health Organization.

Recent statistics by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) indicate that one in 12 adults in Sri Lanka suffers from diabetes which totals to an alarming 1.16 million. The program was conducted in keeping with the theme of the year ‘Women and Diabetes’ because as per latest statistics it is apparent that women are more susceptible to the condition than men, especially during and post pregnancy. 

The program which was titled ‘Powerful Women make Diabetes Powerless’ aimed to educate women on ways in which the risk of getting diabetes can be minimised by adopting a healthy lifestyle and if already diabetic, how the condition can be mitigated through diet and exercise.  

During the period of the program, a special counter was set up to provide information and women were offered a free RBS test to assess the risk of diabetes.  Coinciding with the World Diabetes Day, on 14 November an educational program was conducted by a panel of experts including Consultant Endocrinologist Dr. Manilka Sumanathilake and Consultant Gynaecologist Dr. Romaine Fernando.

The program also featured a special cooking demonstration, aiding participants to stay fit and eat healthy – the key to keeping diabetes at bay. Further, the management ensured that their female staff too looked after and educated, by distributing a healthy gift pack for all female employees.

Commenting on the awareness program, Resident Consultant Gynaecologist Dr. Romanie Fernando said: “We at Hemas Hospital Thalawathugoda believe that women are the backbone of the society and if they’re not looked after everything will collapse and will be dysfunctional. 

“The program aimed to educate and help women make positive changes in their lifestyles that will minimise risk of diabetes which in result will pave the way for a long, healthy life. Also, the fight against diabetes we believe should start from home; mothers make food-related decisions in typical Sri Lankan households and we believe through raising awareness and educating them we can make a tangible change in the rising and alarming diabetes statistics in Sri Lanka,” he added.