Rise in diabetes cases prompts govt to offer free testing at village level
The government on Sunday urged Thais who are 35 years of age or older to get tested for diabetes after the Public Health Ministry found that the number of people with the disease rose by 4.48% last year – even though millions of Thais at risk of the disease have yet to be tested.
Deputy government spokeswoman Ratchada Thanadirek said the Public Health Ministry found that there were 3.3 million diabetes patients last year, an increase of 150,000, or 4.48%, from the previous year.
The Public Health Ministry is aiming to screen 22 million Thais who are at least 35 years old for the disease so that they can receive treatment fast if they have it, Ratchada said.
However, only 14 million of them have been screened, she said.
To reach more people, the Medical Services Department is providing free diabetes screening until the end of this year for Thais who are at least 35 years old, she added.
Medical staff will use a questionnaire to identify those at risk. Blood tests will be conducted on those identified as being at risk, Ratchada said.
People who are 35 years of age or older should undergo screening for diabetes and hypertension once a year, she said.
The free diabetes screening is available at village clinics or tambon hospitals, she added.
