Five Million Nigerians are Suffering from Diabetes Ailment- Diabetes Specialist
Mrs Mercy Ekpoke (left) attending to diabetes patient during the free treatment of diabetes patient organised by Graceland Daibetes Foundation at Sapele recently
LAGOS APRIL 19TH (URHOBOTODAY)-A diabetes Specialist and Founder of Graceland Diabetes Foundation, Mrs. Mercy Ekpoke has revealed that no fewer than five million Nigerians are suffering from diabetes ailment.
Mercy Ekpoke, a United Kingdom trained diabetes specialist who made the revelation to URHOBOTODAY, an online medium, while conducting free diabetes and high blood pressure text and treatment including dispensing of free drugs to diabetes patients at Okpe Hall, Sapele, Delta State recently revealed that out of the five million diabetes patients in Nigeria, four hundred and fifty of them are children.
Mr Peter Ekpoke, husband to Mercy Ekpoke also attending to diabetes patient during the campaign
According to her, the number could be higher than what she quoted because the figures she quoted are for those who were diagnosed.
Ekpoke who said she had passion for treating those suffering from the ailment and she had been treating them for free with her personal fund lamented that government had policy in place for free treatment of HIV/AIDS patients who are only 3.5 million in number, but there is no government policy for diabetes and high blood pressure patients whose figures are higher.
“According to Diabetes Association of Nigeria, people that are having diabetes are more than those that are diagnosed. Government has policy in place for free treatment of HIV/AIDS patients who are only 3.5 million. What about those suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure? They do not have any policy in place for them. Who is going to help them?” Mercy Ekpoke queried, saying, “I stand as a voice for people with diabetes and high blood pressure. This is my passion. This is my cry. I am crying so that people could come to our aid so that we can eventually continue to assist diabetes patients.”
Mercy Ekpoke who said her organization, Graceland Diabetes Foundation had diagnosed and provided free drugs to no fewer than 500 patients at the Sapele campaign, thanked Okpe Monarch, Orodje of Okpe and Okpe community for providing fund for running her organization.
She, however, appealed to Federal government, Delta state government, corporation organizations and well to do individuals to assist her organization with fund so that she could provide assistance to as many diabetes and high blood pressures patients she could.
“The resources I have can no longer cater for the patients I have in my register. A lot of people have this illness, but they do not have the money for treatment because the drugs are very expensive. I cannot do it alone. We need assistant. I am doing this with my money because I love my people, I love my country and I see how this illness is killing my people.
“We are looking for sponsor. For instance, If we have office here in Sapele, it will be easy for the 500 diabetes and high blood pressure patients we registered in today’s campaign to come for regular treatment. But we cannot have an office here because we do not have sufficient fund. Even our office at Orerokpe is at the verge of closing up because we do not have money to pay the workers and run other expenses,” Mercy Ekpoke who is running the foundation with her husband, Mr Peter Ekpoke disclosed.
She advised that those who want to know more about the activities of Granceland Diabetes Foundation should logon to www.gracelandfoundation.com for more details on how they operate.
“You can visit our registration office at 13, Ukerun Avenue, Orerokpe, Delta State, Nigeria. You can get us through our email address info@gracelanddiabetesfoundation.org or gracelanddiabetesfoundation@gmail.com. Better still call us on telephone number +234) (0) 8085274720,” she affirmed.
