In line with Health Promotion Board’s campaign on diabetes, Watsons has launched its Diabetes Care Program to bring awareness on diabetes and to manage the symptoms.

 

Watsons has launched its Diabetes Care Program in partnership with the National University of Singapore (NUS) Pharmacy Department. Currently, people can get general advice including on diabetes at all 37 Watsons stores. But with the programme, diabetic patients can get extra help in better managing their Type-2 diabetes.

 

Managing diabetes

For S$60, these patients can get a monthly testing kit and up to eight one-to-one consultations with pharmacists for 12 months at selected Watsons pharmacies (Raffles City, Tiong Bahru Plaza and United Square). There is a 10-percent discount if patients can get their doctor’s endorsement on the sign-up form, which is available at all Watsons pharmacy stores.

To keep track of these patients’ diabetes management plan, these community pharmacists will be using a Web-based health application technology called Health Assist. Physicians’ particulars are noted during the sign-up so that the pharmacists can contact them if necessary. Consultations will focus on patients’ compliance, response to medications, lifestyle (smoking status, alcohol, diet and exercise), techniques of self-monitoring of blood glucose and insulin administration, control of diabetes and concomitant diseases. This management plan is based on protocol by the NUS Pharmacy Department.

Figures from the latest National Health Survey in 2010 shows that one in nine Singapore residents aged 18 to 69 are affected by diabetes. Out of these, one in three diabetics were unaware of their condition, and with those who were aware, one in three had poor control of the disease. This has led to rising health complications such as heart attack, kidney failure and stroke – with roughly four amputations being conducted per day due to complications arising from the disease. Currently, there are about 400,000 Singaporeans living with diabetes, and the number is projected to grow to 600,000 by 2030.

Shared Dominic Wong, general manager of Watsons Singapore: “Through the Diabetes Care Program, Watsons hopes to work closely with other healthcare partners to achieve higher compliance rate with patients where pharmacists can play a greater role in chronic disease management.”

 

Awareness exercise

Watsons is also putting Diabetes Care Bays at 15 of its stores where there will be monitoring kits, diabetes essentials, tips (which are also available online at www.watsons.com.sg) and relevant supplements. The stores with the bays include locations at Ngee Ann City, Tiong Bahru Plaza, Bugis Junction, Raffles City, Great World City (in June), NEX, Toa Payoh HDB, Waterway Point (East Wing), Novena Square, Causeway Point, Vivo City, Parkway Parade, Bedok Mall, Jurong Point and JEM.

It is also expanding the programme to include consumer wellness talks and mass exercise events in coming months through partnerships with Fullerton Healthcare and Active SG. Details will be made available at Watsons website and on its Facebook page.

 

---