Vihiga County Department of Health, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, on Thursday marked World Diabetes Day with a series of activities aimed at promoting diabetes awareness and wellbeing at the workplace.
The event, held at Vihiga County Referral Hospital (VCRH) and at the County Headquarters, aligned with this year’s global theme, “Support Diabetes Wellbeing at the Workplace.”
County health staff participated in an awareness walk followed by free diabetes and hypertension screening. A counselling session was conducted by Sabatia Sub-County Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Coordinator Sammy Cherui, who emphasized that diabetes is preventable through healthy lifestyle choices.
“Diabetes is preventable,” Cherui said, urging residents to watch their diet, exercise regularly and adhere to prescribed medication.
He noted that the disease is often silent, making early testing essential. “Prevention is better than cure,” he added.
Cherui further highlighted that diabetes could affect people of all ages and called for continuous community education.
Participants were also informed about ongoing support initiatives, including the World Diabetic Foundation in Sabatia, which works with local facilitators to improve diabetes management.
As part of long-term strategies, health workers encouraged the formation of support groups and called on workplaces to establish health desks to promote regular screening and sensitization among employees.
Officials raised concern over the rising burden of NCDs in the county, noting that 50 per cent of hospital admissions were linked to hypertension and diabetes.
Despite progress in managing communicable diseases such as malaria, the county faces increasing pressure from NCD-related cases with Dr. Sophie Omutere reporting that health facilities in Vihiga attended to between 30 and 40 diabetes patients daily, underscoring the growing demand for NCD care.
Health workers urged residents to undergo regular testing, warning that many lived with diabetes unknowingly. Men, in particular, were encouraged to seek help and share symptoms instead of suffering in silence.
They stressed the importance of acceptance and proactive management to reduce diabetes-related complications, reaffirming the county’s commitment to strengthening NCD prevention and care.
By Sylvester Muhadi and Sarah Mwanisa
