JCI in Homs holds the “First Diabetes Awareness Exhibition, Insulin”

Diabetes poses a real health risk in all countries as the number of cases and the prevalence of diabetes have been steadily increasing over the past few decades. The World Health Organization (WHO) studies consider diabetes as a major cause of premature death, blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke, and amputation of lower limbs.

In an initiative to shed light on this serious disease and raise awareness of its critical consequences the JCI in Homs in partnership with the International Pharmaceutical Industries “UNIPHARMA”, held the “First Diabetes Awareness Exhibition, Insulin”.

“This project, “insulin,” has been launched within the international sector and will be in two phases, according to Rozana Tarazi, the media officer for JCI, Homs. She indicated that a number of local organizations and NGOs participated in this project, including the Syrian Cancer Society, Nayzak Association, the Impact Makers Team, and the Homs Health Directorate, in addition to several warehouses and companies for medical equipment.

 “The exhibition included several sections dedicated to receiving visitors to measure their blood pressure and measure their blood sugar level, as well as providing all the necessary consultations and guidance regarding diabetic foot. Doctors who specialize in endocrinology and diabetes, nutritionists and sports specialists participated with us in the exhibition,” noting that sports competitions were held within the exhibition and many prizes were awarded to the winners.

“We hope that we have put our special touch and have  achieved the hoped-for goals of this project and provided the desired benefit to as many people as possible and that this experience will be repeated in all Syrian governorates,” Al-Tarazi concluded.

Moayyed Zahlawi, the project manager, stated, “Raising awareness about the impact of diabetes in society, encouraging early diagnosis, and  supporting those who have diabetes, are the most important goals that we have sought to achieve by holding  the project. Educating people how to prevent or delay diabetes, through a healthy diet and regular physical activity as well as strengthening the role of the family in health education in the treatment of diabetes, are also among the goals that we seek to achieve.”

Every person who visits our exhibition can check his blood pressure and sugar level, and if we find out that he is a diabetic or even pre-diabetic, he is referred directly to our accredited physician , and then provided  with free drug samples  UNIPHARMA,” Zahlawi clarified.

“We have chosen Dablan Garden as a place to set up our project because of its vital importance in the center of Homs. We wanted to stay away from the routine of receiving direct information through seminars and lectures. We wanted it to be an interactive exhibition where people communicate directly with specialists to answer their questions and inquiries, “he asserted.

Concerning the activities of the Chamber in Homs, Khaled Al-Fahal, Vice President of the International Sector at JCI Homs says, “The Chamber is spread in 117 countries all over the world and we in JCI, Syria are distributed in 7 governorates. Our work system is based on the division of labor sectors. We have a community sector that is concerned with community initiatives and activities. We also have the international sector that celebrates the International Days of Diseases and various events, as well as the individuals sector that is concerned with developing individuals in addition to the business sector that undertakes initiatives and projects with companies.

Today, we launched an entire axis called “Our Health,” which consists of three projects, in which “Insulin” was the first of which. We have provided our services to more than 500 visitors to the exhibition. Those who had been tested sick by our accredited doctors were transferred to the specialized centers of the Directorate of Health of Homs,” he confirmed.

Reem Al-Bouqai, a volunteer in the Syrian Cancer Society, says, “Our participation in this event reflects our belief in the need to educate people and inform them of the results of many studies and research that proved that diabetes is a symptom of immunodeficiency and a great predisposition to cancer, especially liver and pancreatic cancer.”

Rami Hassoun Najjar, a volunteer in the Nayzak Association, confirms that the basic idea that they want to clarify through their participation in the event is that the good psychological condition of a diabetic patient is just as important as medicine, healthy food, and sports.

Zohour Zahrawi, a volunteer in the “Athr “team, said “our participation in the event aims to educate people about diabetic foot. Diabetic foot, by definition, is a change or disorder in the foot in terms of vascular and neurological aspects. This disorder affects the foot without the patient feeling it, and herein lies its danger. The control of blood sugar, basically, with personal foot care and constant examination of the patient is essential to the prevention of diabetic foot, “Zahrawi concluded.

 In fact, we are facing a great challenge at present, a chronic disease that kills millions around the world, a fatal disease if the patient does not accept its friendship and knows exactly how to control and deal with it.

Interviewed by Amal Farhat