Lions Club, Cresta Hotels in diabetes awareness campaign

LIONS Club has joined hands with Cresta Hotels to raise awareness against diabetes which affects over 1,4 million people in Zimbabwe.

FOR A WORTHY CAUSE … Lions Club District 412’s Lion Emily Mumba administers a blood pressure check on Cresta Hotels Zimbabwe country director Chipo Mandela, while other club officials Lion Tinashe Chihwayi and Lion Jona Machaya (left) look on in Harare yesterday.

The initiative by the two organisations is a continuation of World Diabetes Day commemorations that are held annually in November to bring awareness to the chronic disease. Diabetes is a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke and lower limb amputation, and in some cases death.

Lions Club members Jonah Machaya, Tinashe Chihwayi, Nicole Sobanda and Emily Mumba this week conducted free diabetes and hypertension screenings to all Cresta Lodge Msasa employees. The exercise will be extended to all Cresta Hotels employees across the country.

Members of the Lions Club in Zimbabwe joined others around the world to commemorate World Diabetes Day on November 14.

Cresta Hotels managing director, Chipo Mandela, said diabetes and hypertension are silent killers, and it was crucial for people to be regularly screened for these chronic diseases, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Knowing our employees’ health helps us to assign who can work from home and who can physically be present at work so that they are able to perform at their maximum.

“Those that have underlying conditions can get the opportunity to work from home and still produce results without too much pressure,” Mandela said.

Lions Club is also working with the World Health Organisation to expand diabetes education, prevention and control with particular emphasis on the prevention and treatment of diabetic eye diseases.

The charity organisation that has 1.4 million members across the world and has been assisting communities in Zimbabwe for years.

The Club’s recent initiatives include providing relief aid to victims of the Binga Floods disaster and Cyclone Idai. They have also sponsored advocacy initiatives and community awareness during last year’s measles-rubella vaccination campaign to the tune of US$70 000.