An apple a day�
Boitshepo Majube | Friday April 11, 2014 12:20
With a national prevalence of 8.2 percent, and an estimated 96,000 people living with diabetes in Botswana, the project also plans raising funds to fight the disease. Diabetes mellitus has become a global concern as the prevalence has gone up in the last decade due to increased level of urbanisation and sedentary lifestyles, which have lead to an increase in obesity.
The project plans to sell 100,000 apples by June, in turn raising P500,000 while also raising awareness on the benefits of healthy eating as one of the important ways of preventing diabetes and other so-called lifestyle diseases. Under the project, Bank Gaborone will buy apples from a leading retailer and give its customers coupons to claim the apples from the retailer. The profit from the redemption of the coupon will be donated to the Diabetes Association of Botswana.
Bank Gaborone managing director, Andre Barnard said the bank had conducted an investigation into where it could make a difference in the area of health.
“This led us to diabetes,” he said, further noting that they identified the Botswana Diabetes Association as a strategic partner in their quest to contribute towards the pillar relating to health in Vision 2016.
Barnard said they believe that a healthy nation will help in realisation of Botswana’s national goals.
Diabetes Association of Botswana chairman, Dipesalema Joel, said Botswana has not been spared the scourge of diabetes. “We encourage everybody to eat a healthy diet by increasing the portion of fruits and vegetables and consuming less sugar, salt and fat,” he said. Joel stated that coupled with regular exercise, of 150 minutes per week, this was a recipe for healthy living and the long-term prevention of obesity and diabetes mellitus. Dr Haruna Jibril from the Ministry of Health said as government they need strategic partners who are willing and eager to invest in the communities within which they operate and play a significant role in improving healthy lifestyle of people. “Such partners shall then demonstrate an excellent model of corporate responsibility,” he said. Jibril said the Apple Project would indeed go beyond opening opportunities for funding for the Botswana Diabetes Association. He stated that it would be a journey through which Batswana could learn how to adopt healthy lifestyles.
“The world over, emphasis is now shifting towards health promotion and prevention interventions. When there is a sizeable investment here, people live a healthy life free of disease, and the burden of curative services will decline, contrary to the current trend where a large budgetary allocation necessarily goes to curative services,” Jibril stated.
He pointed out that this would certainly mitigate the risk factors to developing non-communicable diseases including diabetes.