The Asiri Group of Hospitals recently launched a complete diabetes care programme at its new ultra-modern Asiri Diabetes Centre located at Asiri Medical Hospitals.
“The goal of this centre is to assist patients living with diabetes with the least impact on the quality of their lives,” Asiri Diabetes Centre, Administrative Head, Dr. Samanthi de Silva said.
“We believe prevention is better than cure. We encourage the detection of diabetes early, especially if there is a history of the disease amongst family members. We can educate patients and assist them in making the lifestyle changes required to manage the condition and provide necessary treatment to delay the onset of complications. A diabetic with a well-controlled diet and regular exercise can lead a perfectly normal life,” Dr. de Silva added.
“With our progression toward being a developed country, newly adopted lifestyles, food and dietary habits are all precipitating factors leading to a higher prevalence of diabetes. In Sri Lanka the clinical practiced guidelines for diabetes state that any individual over 35 years should screen for diabetes,” she explained.
The Centre offers basic and advanced screening packages, follow-up and specialised services, foot care and eye clinics, counseling and nutrition education. Basic screening packages include a consultation with a doctor, physical examination, measuring of the patient’s blood pressure, weight, height, calculating body mass index and patients are counseled on long term management of diabetes. Screening for complications of the disease is also carried out.
The Centre urges diabetic patients to be conscious of performing routine screenings to reduce or prevent the onset of complications. Dr. de Silva noted, “If you are a diabetic regardless of your age, you should have regular screenings.
It is of utmost importance, because today we see a lot of patients who have complications due to neglect.”
Elaborating on the significance of early interventionand appropriate treatment, the Centre aims to reduce the onset of diabetic neuropathyor nerve damage.
Through Digital Retinal Photography (DRP), the Centre detectsearly changes in the eyecaused when diabetes affects the small blood vessels in the retina. Similarly, appropriate management of foot care including foot abnormalities and foot ulcerations is collated and reviewed.
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