Early detection and treatment and education play a vital role in tackling diabetes, say state hospitals.

“Breaking Barriers, Bridging Gaps” the theme for World Diabetes Day, on November 14, stresses the importance of improving access to quality health-care, according to Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, Groote Schuur Hospital and Tygerberg Hospital.

According to the World Health Organization, diabetes is a chronic, metabolic disease characterised by elevated levels of blood glucose (or blood sugar), which leads over time to serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves. The most common is type-2 diabetes, usually in adults, which occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin or doesn't make enough insulin. Type-1 diabetes, once known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin by itself.

Tygerberg Hospital patient Angelo Plaatjies, 33, of Stellenbosch was 5 when he was diagnosed with type-1 diabetes.

“Living with diabetes hasn’t been easy, especially when I was invited to children’s parties as a child and there were sugary treats,” said Mr Plaatjies.

With the right care and support from health-care workers and family, he had learned how to manage his condition and live his life fully, he said.

Premier, Alan Winde, himself a diabetic, urged diabetics to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

“It is a manageable condition, and one can live a perfectly normal life if you take the necessary steps to keep it under control,” he said.

Mr Winde said he tried to exercise as often as he could and eat a balanced diet.

“Equally as important is the support my family and friends give me, and I also always follow the advice of my doctor. This is crucial. And you must always remember, you are not alone; there is always help available.”

Children’s hospital paediatric endocrinologist Dr Michelle Carrihill said they saw about 50 new diabetic patients annually.

“Our primary concern is that many young patients with diabetes arrive very sick, sometimes requiring ICU admission, which can be traumatic for both the children and their families,” she said.

It was important to recognise the warning signs of diabetes in children and seek urgent help from a clinic, she said.

Common symptoms include sudden bed wetting or frequent urination, increased thirst, weight loss or not picking up weight, difficulty concentrating, vision problems and vomiting.

“If your child exhibits any of these symptoms, please access your clinic for a test. If you can make a diagnosis before they become very sick, they will be much better off,” Dr Carrihill said.

The hospital also provides care to children presenting with type-2 diabetes.

“Obesity is a concern in children and children can develop type-2 diabetes. We are seeing more type-1 diabetic children presenting earlier because they’re overweight or obese and need more insulin, which their pancreas can’t produce,” said Dr Carrihill.

Dr Carrihill said some of their patients were as young as 6 or 7.

“About 10% of our patients present with type-2 diabetes. We are also seeing cases of ‘double diabetes’, where children have both type-1 and type-2 diabetes,” she said.

Health experts agreed that early detection, treatment and education were the most important factors in reducing the risk of childhood diabetes, she said.

“Type-1 diabetes is autoimmune with a genetic risk and is not preventable at this stage. It’s important to understand that it doesn’t happen because anyone did anything wrong.”

According to the WHO, untreated or badly controlled diabetes can result in amputations, kidney failure and blindness.

Meanwhile, Groote Schuur Hospital did 456 retinal operations between January 2023 and June 2024, of which 256 (57%) involved diabetic eye problems.

Dr James Rice, head of the retina service at Groote Schuur’s opthalmology department, said eye screening was an important part of managing diabetes.

“As diabetic retinopathy does not show any symptoms in the early stages when they are most treatable, it can become quite advanced before you start to notice it,” he said.

Going for a routine eye screening at a clinic could help you spot and treat diabetic retinopathy early, which should prevent it from progressing to a stage when it was more difficult to treat, he said.

Dr James Rice at the eye exam room at Groote Schuur Hospital.

Tygerberg Hospital patient Angelo Plaatjies gets his blood sugar level checked by professional nurse Francis Pietersen.

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