Research has shown that people with diabetes are 3 to 4 times more likely to develop serious COVID-19 disease than those who do not have diabetes. Diabetes patients are among one of the most vulnerable groups in the fight against COVID-19 and Malaysia is currently home to more than 3.5 million people living with diabetes. However, many do not discover that they have diabetes until much later.
To address this pressing need and gap in Malaysia, ‘For Your Sweetheart Campaign’ invites all Malaysians to keep themselves and their loved ones healthy with a FREE Diabetes Screening at participating clinics nationwide.
Creating awareness on the link between diabetes and COVID-19
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This initiative of creating public awareness on the link between diabetes and heart disease, and the Free Diabetes Screening effort is supported by Boehringer Ingelheim in partnership with Malaysian Endocrine and Metabolic Society (MEMS) and Malaysian Diabetes Educators Society (MDES).
In its third year running, the campaign this year is taking one step further by offering Free HbA1c Diabetes Screening for all Malaysians. Awareness and the knowledge of whether one has diabetes is the first step towards managing the risk of diabetes-related heart diseases in Malaysians.
This is even more crucial amid the Covid-19 crisis that we are all facing as people with diabetes are considered high risk. Therefore, early detection, prevention and treatment is key. For Your Sweetheart Campaign is excited to be playing a role in this area through the Free Diabetes Screening initiative.
Commenting on the Covid-19 vaccines for people with diabetes, Dr Miza Hiryanti Binti Zakaria, Consultant Endocrinologist & Diabetologist, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan said that to win this war against Covid-19, several measures have been implemented.
"These include wearing protective masks, practicing social distancing and above all achieving herd immunity through vaccination. The most vulnerable group, like people with diabetes, should be vaccinated as soon as possible. Vaccines are designed to programme the body’s immune system to safely recognize and block the virus that causes Covid-19,"" she said.
Dr Miza added that people with diabetes should consult their health care provider before vaccination to help them plan their sick day management plan to deal with possible vaccine side effects. “Diabetes medications do not affect the effectiveness of vaccines, and vice versa. Some side effects may cause fluctuation in blood sugar and it is important to know how to handle such a situation and seek medical advice as needed,” added Dr Miza.
How to claim:
Here’s a step-by-step guide to claim the free screening courtesy of ‘For Your Sweetheart Campaign’:
- Go to this website.
- Select the state where you are located.
- Scroll and select the participating outlet/clinic of your choice.
- Click ‘Download’ to download your voucher*
- Contact the participating outlet/clinic to schedule an appointment for the Free Diabetes Screening
- Be present at participating outlet/clinic on scheduled appointment day/time for your Free Diabetes Screening
For Your Sweetheart FREE Diabetes Screening is taking place from July to December 2021.
This campaign is also supported by Douglas Lim, well-known actor, comedian and TV presenter. Check out Douglas’ video here.
About For Your Sweetheart Campaign
‘For Your Sweetheart’ Campaign is a nationwide public awareness and education campaign organized by Malaysian Endocrine and Metabolic Society (MEMS) and Malaysian Diabetes Educators Society (MDES), supported by Boehringer Ingelheim.
The campaign aims to educate the public, especially those living with diabetes, about the link between diabetes and heart diseases. This campaign also aims to highlight the urgent need for those living with diabetes to take care of their heart health. Patients and their caregivers must know their increased risks of developing heart disease. They are encouraged to speak to their doctors or diabetes educator (DE) to learn how they can protect their heart and prevent heart disease.
Malaysia currently has more than 3.5 million people living with diabetes, and this figure is highest in Asia. Diabetes increases a person’s risk of developing heart disease by 4 times and approximately 50.4% of deaths in people with diabetes were caused by diabetes-related heart disease. Yet, not many are aware of this link between diabetes and heart disease. That is the driving force behind the ‘For Your Sweetheart Campaign’ which has been running for the last three years.
For more information about the campaign or diabetes and diabetes-related heart disease, please visit the official website here.