Diabetes remains to be one of the killer diseases globally. According to the latest International Diabetes Federation (1DF) figures, there are currently 425 million people living with diabetes and the total number is expected to rise to 642 million by 2040, Two thirds of people living with diabetes are of working age and half of the people living with diabetes are undiagnosed.
In the Philippines, diabetes is said to be the 8th leading cause of mortality with 500 Filipinos being diagnosed with diabetes everyday. The data further revealed that there are an estimated 4 million diagnosed patients, while 4.2 million remain undiagnosed.
Some consider diabetes as a rich man’s disease as it is often caused by excessive food intake But what others don’t know is that it is also a genetic disorder which could be passed on through generations.
Aside from diabetes itself, patients suffering from it can experience a lot of complications that also need immediate medical attention. And sometimes, patients only know that they have diabetes when complications already attack them.
One of those diabetic patients who greatly affected by the complications caused by diabetes is 60-year-old Jessie Dadivas.
Jessie is a supportive husband to his wife and a great provider to his two kids. However, his life changed when he was diagnosed with diabetes in 2005, He was prescribed with oral medications for maintenance to help curb further complications.
It was in 2016 when he experienced recurrent visual difficulties. Little did he know, it was already a complication caused by his high sugar level, and because of that, he met an accident at a speedy skyway in California where he was based for work.
He went back to the Philippines and consulted a retina specialist and it was confirmed that his eyesight was already damaged by diabetes.
Diabetes didn’t hinder Jessie to do his duties as a husband and father and overcome diabetes by having positive outlook in life and with the help of the medical experts who guide him in his journey towards wellness.
Jessie is one of the diabetic patients who can prove to the quality medical services that The Medical City Iloilo (TMC Iloilo) provides. And he and other diabetic patients will surely have more hopes as TMC Iloilo launches its Diabetes and Metabolism Program in time for the celebration of the World Diabetes Day this November.
TMC Iloilo’s Diabetes and Metabolism Program offers diabetic patients a holistic care as it provides wider scope compare to the other clinics and hospitals with its integrated care component. All necessary services related to diabetes including its complications are being catered by the program.
To note, the program will be run through the collaboration of competent and compassionate endocrinologists, diabetologists, nephrologists, neurologists, diabetes nurse educators., foot care specialist, ophthalmologists, cardiologists, psychiatrists, and surgeons.
These experts will collaborate to provide comprehensive management of diabetes and its complications, diabetes screening, and work to prevent diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease through education.
Moreover, TMC Iloilo’s Diabetes and Metabolism Program will further deliver high quality and compassionate care with the help of five in-house doctors headed by Dr. Genevieve Sia who will guide the patients understand diabetes and its foreseen complications better.
As TMC Iloilo aims to be the leading center for diabetes and diabetes prevention through education and screening in Region VI, its Diabetes and Metabolism Program focuses on the outcome of care by personalized monitoring of health status of every patient. This is also in line with its principle of “patients are partners” as they closely monitor the health development of their patients and treat them as partners in achieving wellness.
“TMCI wants to bring total wellness and integrated care to our patients by giving them all the services that they need in one clinic,” TMC CEO Dr Eugene Ramos said.
“Through our Diabetese and Metabolism Care Clinic, we will be able to fulfill our mission to our patients as their partners in their journey towards better health,” he added
The Diabetes Care Clinic is located at the 3rd floor of TMC. It is open Monday to Friday from 8 am to 5 pm and on Saturday from 7 am to 12 noon.
