You are celebrating the first anniversary of the foundation. What would you say motivated you to found the foundation?
I had diabetes. This made me to study about the disease. I realised that it is killing people needlessly. This is because, people do not know how to control the disease. As a food scientist, through my research, I found out that the type of food people eat as well as their lifestyles can make them susceptible to diabetes. So, when I recovered from the disease, I resolved to help people, especially the poor in rural communities and Lagos, to control the disease. I found out that people die from diabetes due to lack of knowledge. Diabetes is a killer disease, but it can be controlled through food habits and healthy lifestyles. Even with diabetes, people can still live long if they know what to do.
Since that one year, what are the achievements of the foundation?
Through the foundation, I have already authored a book titled Healing Diabetes With Food. Through the book and my works, the foundation has created awareness about diabetes in parts of Nigeria, United States of America (USA) and Canada. People who read the book call in for help and consultations. We help them through telephone calls, text messages and person-to-person treatment, to control their blood sugar level. The foundation has continued to carry out diabetic education, care, giving out free drugs to thousands of people. We have reached out to seven communities in Anambra State. These communities are Igbo Ukwu, Ndikelionwu, Nnokwa, Nibo, Mba Ukwu and Amesi, all in Anambra State.
In collaboration with the Anambra State Association in USA (ASA-USA), the foundation spoke to over 10,000 people in 10 communities in Anambra State. These are Ora Eri, Okija, Unubi, Ekwulobia, Oko, Ifitedunu, Enugu Ukwu, Nnise, Igboariam and Awka. Through text messages and phone calls, the foundation attend to hundreds of people on daily basis, assisting them to control their blood sugar by advising on the foods they eat, exercise and lifestyle changes.
What have been the reactions of people, especially in Anambra State, towards the foundation and your effort in the war against diabetes?
People are overwhelmed and they are very happy. They call in to express their joy when they notice changes in their blood sugar. When their blood sugar of over 300 has come down, they are always happy. They are also happy when they regain their energy.
How would you ensure that the services of the foundation get to all parts of the country?
I will continue to create awareness about diabetes through diabetic education; through the book, through the media, through the programme that I hold regularly in communities. As I continue to do so, I believe that more Nigerians will come to know more about diabetes. They will come to realise that having diabetes does not necessarily mean a death sentence. The foundation has a quarterly News Letter, which is also published online to enlighten people on the disease.
What are the challenges of the foundation so far?
One of the challenges is that of funding. Most of the services, especially the drugs, are free. The drugs are costly. I finance the procurement of the drugs myself, although there financial support from few people, but it is not enough. After the launching of the foundation a year ago, it has not been easy getting more financial support and the money has depleted, as the services are free. More so, as we treat more people and embark on programmes in more communities. We are now looking for sponsors, philanthropists, local governments and organisations or clubs who can sponsor the programmes in their communities. Town unions and individuals can come in. The last programme we held in Amesi in Anambra State was sponsored by an indigene of the community. The foundation is looking for people like that. More people are still needed to make the work of the foundation easier.
What are your plans for the immediate future?
We plan to carry out programmes, at least one community in every month, if we can get sponsors. I hope to talk to more associations, church organisations, town unions, clubs, women organisations, to make more Nigerians aware of the deadly effect of diabetes and how to combat it using food and exercises.
You are 71 years now. What are your plans to ensure that the foundation continues to function long after your active days?
I have already trained people who are working with me now. If I am no longer strong to carry on the programmes myself or if I am no longer there, there are people who will take over from me. For instance, my daughter, who is the Secretary of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees (BoT), has known very much of what we are doing and is capable of carrying on. I have assistants and managers in several communities. They are capable. In fact, they handle cases in my absence. I cannot do it alone. Already, the Foundation has a secretariat at No. 3 International Airport Road in Lagos. From there, we reach out people and communities in parts of the country who need our assistance.
Is there any effort to ensure that government comes to your support?
We have been making efforts to get the government involved in our programmes. I believe that with time, our efforts will yield the necessary fruits. I really want my state government, Anambra, to be part of it since over 50 per cent of my programmes are carried out in communities there. Most of the royal fathers in the state and community leaders and town union leaders are aware of our efforts to make people in their communities diabetes-free without charging them anything. I believe the state government can encourage us to do more for the people by recognising what we are doing. We also hope that with time the attention of the Federal Government or the Federal Ministry of Health will be aware of our efforts in this war against diabetes and the move to make Nigerians imbibe healthy lifestyles.
You said that you carry out anti-diabetes programmes from place to place. What does your programme look like?
We make announcements in churches and other public places. In villages, through the assistance of the traditional rulers, we make use of town criers to create awareness whenever our programmes are holding. This is done two weeks to the time. We ask those who urinate a lot, people who get tired often, those who get thirsty and those whose parents and relations suffer diabetes to attend. They come to a designated place, like a town hall, by 8.am without eating. All attendees are screened to determine their sugar levels. They are educated on what diabetes is, implications of uncontrolled diabetes on the body and the control of diabetes using food and exercises. I also carry out exhibition, during which most local foods are displayed in two sections. In one section, we have foods that are good for diabetes patients and healthy living, with the inscription, “Eat good food and enjoy healthy and long life”. On the other side, we display foods not recommended for diabetes patients, with the inscription, “Bad food can cause sickness and early death”. All attendees go through the exhibition. Their questions are answered. Then free drugs are given to people who have diabetes. Pre-diabetic people are advised on healthy lifestyle to ensure that they don’t progress to full-blown diabetes. Then, all diabetic ones are given free drugs. People with very high blood sugar level from 250 are specially counselled and specifically monitored to ensure that their blood sugar reduce to normal.
In some communities, they are handed over to the health centre and hospitals there for follow-up. Where there is no hospital or health centre, the EndiCare staff visit them every two weeks to monitor their fasting blood sugar levels. Every three months, we visit the communities to evaluate the effect of the drugs. In such communities, we give them drugs that will last for three months, free. (Daily Independent)
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