DARLING, BE DARING: World Health Day 2016 in Darla School: Step Up: Beat Diabetics

Friday, April 8, 2016

World Health Day 2016 in Darla School: Step Up: Beat Diabetics

Beat Diabetes

Darla school celebrated World Health Day. The day was marked with many health and hygiene-related activities. In the morning, we had the day’s speech by the health club members, and there the music was played about a healthy song. In the afternoon, the health staff of Darla was requested to give a talk, and upon our request, three staff came and gave wide coverage of health and hygiene issues and care. Teachers and Students from classes VI to 10 gathered in the MPH for the talk. Two health teachers gave a basic health talk to the students of class pp to V in the assembly ground. They also cleaned toilets, water tank,s and water sources. The photos below tell the story of the whole thing.

Giving speech

This was the speech delivered on that day. “Today, 7^th of April is World Health Day. It is celebrated every year on the founding day of the World Health Organization. Established in 1950 this event has a theme each year to draw attention to a current world health issue. On this day, we remind ourselves to take some extra steps to care for your health, spread the news of health and threats, and inform the important issues of global health.

This year, WHO is focusing the World Health Day, on beat diabetics.

Listening passionately

Diabetes is a serious, chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. In 2008, an estimated 347 million people in the world had diabetes and the prevalence is growing, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

In 2012, the disease was the direct cause of some 1.5 million deaths, with more than 80% of those occurring in low- and middle-income countries. WHO projects that diabetes will be the 7th leading cause of death by 2030.

There are 2 main forms of diabetes. People with type 1 diabetes typically make none of their own insulin and therefore require insulin injections to survive. People with type 2 diabetes, the form that comprises some 90% of cases, usually produces their own insulin, but not enough or they are unable to use it properly. People with type 2 diabetes are typically overweight and sedentary, 2 conditions that raise a person’s insulin needs.

Over time, high blood sugar can seriously compromise every major organ system in the body, causing heart attacks, strokes, nerve damage, kidney failure, blindness, impotence and infections that can lead to amputations. It was observed that 2.5% of the population (Male: 2.8%, Females: 2.1%) were known diabetics in Bhutan.

A large proportion of diabetes cases are preventable. Simple lifestyle measures have been shown to be effective in preventing or delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes. Maintaining a normal body weight, engaging in regular physical activity, and eating a healthy diet can reduce the risk of diabetes.

The main goals of the World Health Day 2016 campaign will be to:

Increase awareness about the rise in diabetes, and its staggering burden and consequences, in particular in low-and middle-income countries;
Trigger a set of specific, effective, and affordable actions to tackle diabetes. These will include steps to prevent diabetes and diagnose, treat and care for people with diabetes; and
Launch the first Global report on diabetes, which will describe the burden and consequences of diabetes and advocate for stronger health systems to ensure improved surveillance, enhanced prevention, and more effective management of diabetes.”