BelSU running Diabetes Awareness Week

On World Diabetes Day, the university joined the campaign embracing events throughout Russia from November 11 to 17 to combat this disease. In the lobby of the BelSU Youth Cultural Centre, university students, teachers and could get a free blood glucose test and an initial attendance of a consultant endocrinologist. The event was organized by the BelSU Polyclinic.

127 people, including 16 students, took advantage of the opportunity to check their blood for sugar levels. Four of the event’s participants were diagnosed with high levels of glucose (from 8.6 to 12.4 mmol/L) for the first time ever. The endocrinologist recommended further examination for treatment prescription and monitoring blood sugar levels.

According to Oksana Belousova, Head of the BelSU Polyclinic, in Russia, there are about five million patients with confirmed diabetes. According to doctors, the same amount of people live unaware of their condition. As a rule, such people rarely have appointments with doctors or take medical tests. Such cases are identified as having incidental previously unrecognized diabetes.

Head of the BelSU Polyclinic explained that diabetes was dangerous due to its possible complications that affect all organs and systems. Therefore, it is important to test blood for glucose levels several times a year.

‘The number of people with diabetes has been growing rapidly. The problem arises from the lifestyle. Modern people consume a lot of fast food, carbohydrates, much more than the body needs for normal functioning. At the same time, we move very little, have no chance to burn the accumulated calories. This causes metabolic disorders and the development of diabetes,’ noted Oksana Belousova.

As part of the diabetes awareness campaign, the BelSU Polyclinic gave glucometers as a gift to two participants first time detected with high blood sugar levels. Twelve more participants took tests at the university medical centre for further monitoring of their health.