The staff of the Rivers State Government House, Port Harcourt, have been trained on the detection, management and prevention of diabetes, considered a silent killer.
The Government House Port Harcourt Clinic, last Thursday, following the approval of Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, organised a seminar with the theme: “Living With Diabetes: The Case, Care and Prevention”.
Medical Director of Government House Port Harcourt Clinic, Dr Miller Oruene said the seminar was in line with the New Rivers Vision of the governor to arrest the decay in healthcare services and ensure public healthcare delivery to the people.
According to her, the seminar will create awareness and equip Government House staff with the knowledge and skills on how to tackle diabetes and hypertension.
She said: “The skills will help promote the health and well-being of Government House staff and their immediate families. This will help them discharge their duties effectively”.
The Government House Port Harcourt Clinic medical director said that the seminar became necessary because over 50 per cent of patients treated at the clinic in the last two years were diabetic and hypertensive.
“Through data generated from Government House Clinic in the last two years, over 50 per cent of patients attending the clinic are diabetic or hypertensive or both”, she said.
She commended the governor for upgrading and equipping the Government House Port Harcourt Clinic.
Declaring the seminar open, Permanent Secretary of Government House, Port Harcourt, Dr Onyenachi Nwankwor said that the seminar was timely because during the festive season, people consume things and take actions that negatively affect their health.
He charged Government House, Port Harcourt, staff to diligently apply knowledge gained at the workshop to promote their health and efficiency.
Guest Lecturer, Prof Sunday Chinenye said that diabetes was a systemic disease that affects the organs of the body, which could lead to disability and death.