High prevalence of Diabetes in Ghana: a possible cure in the near future

Diabetes (mellitus) represents one of the non-infectious diseases with high

prevalence

in Ghana. It is a metabolic disease that affects glucose homeostasis, which

simply

means that the control of the level of glucose in the blood during the hours

when we

are well-fed and starving is defective. Normally, the body acts through the

hormone

insulin to store excess glucose when we are well-fed and then cause a slow

releasing

when starving. This balance is tightly control to ensure that glucose

levels are maintained.

Diabetes occurs in two forms, one is when the production of insulin is

affected and two

when the insulin is produced alright but it fails to achieve the desire

effect. The cure for

diabetes is much sought after due to the high prevalence the world over and

especially in Ghana.

Recent scientific discoveries may open up the possibility for a cure for the

type

two diabetes, which will save a lot of lives in Ghana and worldwide. For the

first time

scientist have found out exactly what happens in the case of type two

diabetes in the

sufferers body before the disease becomes life-threatening. The

receptor-insensitivity

to insulin that occurs in this case, is a result of the body's inability to

properly maintain

these receptors on the surface on the various tissues.

This profound discovery was recently published by scientist working for

three institutions

in Europe and America they are *Regulus Therapeutics Inc, Alnylam

Pharmaceuticals *

*and the ETH-Zurich.* They have clearly demonstrated that the presence of a

tiny

molecules in the body of sufferers of Diabetes causes the instability of the

insulin-

receptor leading to receptor-insensitivity. Whilst this breakthrough

discovery does not

represent a cure in itself. scientists can now look for ways to shutdown

these rather

"tiny molecules" and allow the insulin-receptor to be stable and for levels

to return to normal.

This is a powerful demonstration of how the pursuit science can lead to

solving

of humanities many unsolved problems. The youth in Ghana must be encouraged

to

choose and pursue science for the reason of science and the economic and

social

benefit will follow.

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Patrick Kobina Arthur (PhD),

parthur14@gmail.com

http://pakar1-corner.blogspot.com/