By Lina Benyawa and Ngumbao Kithi
Health experts have expressed concern over the rise in the number of new diabetes cases at the Coast.
At least five new cases are reported weekly at the Coast General Hospital (CGH) in Mombasa.
This figure, which translates to 3,000 new diagnoses every year, does not include statistics drawn from other towns in the vast province.
“This is very high for just one hospital,” said Dr Esther Gitambu, a diabetes specialist at CGH.
“This institution alone records five cases every week, yet it is one of the few institutions with facilities and expertise to manage the disease with at least 3,000 cases diagnosed yearly across the province,” she said.
Gitambu disclosed that most of those diagnosed with the condition are from Mombasa and its environs.
She added that though susceptibility to the disease is inherited, most cases are spurred by unhealthy lifestyles.
Sedentary lifestyles
The condition is usually associated with consumption of refined foods and sedentary lifestyles that lead to obesity.
Public Health Director Dr Shahnaz Sharif said there is an average prevalence of between 4 to 8 per cent of the disease across the country.
Type 2 diabetes is said to be the most common and statistics show that people seek medical assistance during the late stages of the disease.
