World Diabetes Day Observed in Gambia

The Youth Empowerment through Education and Sports (YETES) recently organized diabetes campaign as part of activities commemorating World Diabetes Day.

The campaign, which was held at the Independence Stadium, was aimed at bringing more awareness about the disease in the country through sports.

The event attracted over 300 students and the event accord YETES members the opportunity to discuss more issues surrounding the non-communicable diseases.

During the campaign, vital information about diabetes was disseminated and students were also engaged in exercise (football and basketball), which is regarded as the most effective way of preventing and controlling diabetes type two (2).

In an interview with the Daily Observer, Dr. Momodou I.A. Tekannyia, a medical officer at Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, said that diabetes is a non-communicable disease that is common in the Western world, but has now become a great problem in Africa in recent years.

This, according to him, is due change of diets and increase in sedentary life style, noting that eating without any form of practices lead to metabolic ailments like hypertension and diabetes.

He lauded the effort of YETES and that they  should be encouraged because exercise is an efficient way to control diseases especially diabetes.

The founder and executive director of YETES, Papa Njie, said YETES was established and want to use sports as a medium to educate and empower the youths in The Gambia.

He went on to thank school principals for allowing their students to be part of the campaign in celebrating World Diabetes Day.

“Basically, the idea is to use sports as a medium and we have basketball and football because we have found out that diabetes especially type two (2) is preventable or delayed through exercise.” he stated.

by Binta Bah