Some of the Diabetes Patients in the Diabetic clinic at Masafu General Hospital
Masafu General Hospital in Busia district is overwhelmed by the high number of diabetic patients seeking treatment at the facility. Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects the human body by turning food into energy. It happens when one’s body is not able to take up sugar into cells and use it for energy.
Dr. Mathias Wabwire Panyako, the Busia District health officer says that the hospital registers over 120 new diabetes cases and at least two deaths monthly. Wabwire says that this is more than double the number of cases they registered previously. The hospital would register between 60 and 70 new cases per month previously.
He says that the most affected age groups are youths between 15 – 20 years and adults aged 40 years and above. The disease is common among men and that Mellitus Diabetes is the most common type registered at the hospital. According to Wabwire, the highest number of patients are from Busime, Majanji, Lunyo, and the neighboring Namayingo district.
Wabwire says that they still have a challenge of insufficient drugs to treat the increasing number of patients at the hospital and end up referring some of the patients to Mbale Regional Referral Hospital for treatment.
He attributed the increasing number of Diabetes patients to poor lifestyles and risk factors like poor diet, smoking, drinking alcohol, obesity, and genetic conditions. He advises residents to begin doing physical exercise and avoid unhealthy feeding behavior like eating fatty foods among others.
Seferio Semeyo, 76, a diabetic patient who was admitted at Masafu General Hospital, says that he has suffered from paralysis, frequent urination, and swelling legs for the last five years. He says that the situation worsened two weeks ago prompting him to seek treatment, where it was confirmed that he is diabetic.
Joseph Bwire Achoka, another diabetic patient, says that its last year when he was diagnosed with Diabetes after experiencing too much pain and swelling in the legs.
