Currently 199 million women worldwide live with diabetes. Therefore the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Africa Unit for Transdisciplinary Health Research (AUTHeR) is committed to raise awareness of this condition.

World Diabetes Day is commemorated annually on 14 November. The international theme for this year is “Women and diabetes – Our right to a healthy future”.

On 14 November AUTHeR, in collaboration with multiple stakeholders, will host an event at the Mooi River Mall in Potchefstroom. Members of the public will have free access to blood glucose and blood pressure screenings from 09:00 until 18:00, just outside Dischem Pharmacy.

According to Karlien Smit who is a lecturer at AUTHeR; the main aim for this campaign is to create awareness and inform the public about diabetes. “We want women who do not have the disease to take preventative measures, and those who have it, to exercise self-care,” she says.

AUTHeR also aims to share information on the importance of affordable and equitable access to essential treatment and technologies for women at risk.

Elliot P Joslin, the first doctor in the United States to specialise in diabetes, said “Little knowledge is a dangerous thing; the diabetic who knows the most, lives the longest.” These are wise words in deed.