Health

Awareness programme on diabetes

Every 10 seconds two people are diagnosed as being diabetic in the world. In an attempt to create a greater awareness of this disease which is fast reaching epidemic proportions, Nawaloka Hospitals will commemorate World Diabetes Day with a series of activities.

Nawaloka Hospitals will conduct a public health awareness programme in the hospital premises commencing at 8.00 a.m. commemorating the World Diabetes Day today.

"There are currently about 246 million people with diabetes world wide. WHO figures estimate that this will rise to 380 million by the year 2025" said Director and General Manager of Nawaloka Hospitals, Professor Lal Chandrasena.

"Of this figure around 70 - 80 per cent of them live in developing countries like Sri Lanka.

It is estimated that there are currently two million diabetics in Sri Lanka and this figure is steadily increasing.

It is interesting to note that the number of newly diagnosed diabetics is of all ages, notably in the younger age group especially between 20 - 30," he said.

"It is well documented that diabetes affects your heart, kidneys, nervous system, as well as the eyes. World Diabetes Day gives us an opportunity to highlight the importance of the early detection of diabetes and the prevention of it's complications, thus ensuring years of good health," he added.

Nawaloka Hospital's Marketing Manager, Ravi Masakorala said that Swarnavahini TV too has joined hands with Nawaloka Hospitals on this occasion to telecast live, their health education programme "Malmitiyawatha" from the Nawaloka Hospitals Diabetes Clinic.

"This will include a special interview by eminent Consultant Dialectologists. Thereafter, the public seminar and the workshop will be held in the car park area where special lectures and programmes will be conducted by doctors, dieticians and other health professionals," he said.

Demonstration of the preparation of healthy food for diabetics by the Executive Chefs of Galadari Hotel, Lloyd Opatha and Nimal Fernando and special sugar free foods and beverages that are available will also be demonstrated.

A demonstration of special fitness equipment as well as exercises by Nawaloka Hospital's expert physiotherapists that will help you maintain good health will also be part of the programme.

Nawaloka Hospitals commemorates World Osteoporosis Day

Nawaloka Hospitals commemorated World Osteoporosis Day with a series of activities held to create an awareness of this particular malady, which has now reached alarming proportions amongst all segments of society.

The day's events commenced with the lighting of the oil lamp by Deputy Chairman Nawaloka Hospitals, Jayantha Dharmadasa and other Directors. Director / General Manager of Nawaloka Hospitals, Professor Lal Chandrasena, Dietician Nawaloka Hospitals, Noor Iqbal, Physiotherapist S M Amarathunga and Dr Noel Somasunderam were amongst those who spoke and attended to patients who visited the free Clinic.

Amongst the topics addressed at the Clinic were adequate nutrition, like the best sources of calcium, the relationship between calcium intake, exercise and prevention of Osteoporosis, as well as how to read food / nutrition labels correctly and thereby purchase the right types of food.

One of the most important subjects discussed was the fact that unknowing to most people, calcium can actually be 'stolen' from one's bones.

Simple exercises to boost calcium intake and prevent Osteoporosis that could be done at the workplace, how to develop bone mass with the correct food intake and how to make informed decisions about the food we consume, were all part of the day's programme.

Over 250 people visited the Clinic and the inaugural meeting whilst the live coverage of "Malmitiyawatha" conducted by Swarnavahini was telecast all over Sri Lanka through their network.