{"id":93251,"date":"2024-12-29T12:20:43","date_gmt":"2024-12-29T12:20:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/ozempic-what-rwandan-officials-say-about-diabetes-obesity-drug"},"modified":"2024-12-29T12:32:27","modified_gmt":"2024-12-29T12:32:27","slug":"ozempic-what-rwandan-officials-say-about-diabetes-obesity-drug","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/ozempic-what-rwandan-officials-say-about-diabetes-obesity-drug","title":{"rendered":"Ozempic: What Rwandan officials say about diabetes, obesity drug?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong>Africa-Press &#8211; Rwanda. <\/strong><\/span>For years, the search for quick fixes to lose weight has captivated people. Ozempic, a drug used to treat diabetes and obesity manufactured by Danish company Novo Nordisk, is gaining global popularity.<\/p>\n<p>Countries like the United States and United Kingdom have seen a growing trend of celebrities admitting to using Ozempic to lose weight.<\/p>\n<p>However, this trend raises critical questions: Is it safe to use Ozempic solely for appearance enhancement without medical prescription? And what do Rwandan health officials say about Ozempic and its cousin Wegovy, which is also made by Novo Nordisk?<\/p>\n<p>What is Ozempic?<\/p>\n<p>Ozempic, also known as semaglutide, is a prescription medication designed to treat type 2 diabetes in adults.<\/p>\n<p>It is administered as a once-weekly injection and works by helping the pancreas produce more insulin, which lowers blood sugar levels.<\/p>\n<p>WATCH: From 130 to 85kgs: A tale of successful weight loss<\/p>\n<p>The medication is typically prescribed to adults aged 18 and above with type 2 diabetes. For individuals without diabetes, it is only prescribed if they have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 35 kg\/m2 or higher and have additional medical or psychological conditions related to obesity.<\/p>\n<p>According to Dr. Jean Claude Habineza, a diabetes specialist at the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), the diabetes drug cannot be prescribed solely for weight loss without a related health condition.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEven in countries where it is approved for weight loss, it is prescribed only if you have obesity and another condition related to it, like diabetes, hypertension, or sleep apnoea. It is not prescribed just for weight loss alone,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>In Rwanda, the drug is not currently available in pharmacies, Habineza said. \u201cEven if one was prescribed Ozempic, they would likely have to source it from outside the country,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Potentil risks of Ozempic<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Habineza also cautioned against using the drug without medical supervision due to possible side effects.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt can lead to thyroid tumours or cancer in some cases. Other side effects include nausea, vomiting, constipation, inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), and kidney failure,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>For individuals with diabetes, the medication could worsen vision problems in certain cases. \u201cThese side effects don\u2019t happen to everyone, but they are important to keep in mind,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n<p>What about Wegovy?<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Habineza clarified that Wegovy is essentially the same as Ozempic. \u201cThe difference is just the brand name\u2014they are the same medicine and serve the same purpose,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n<p>With the increasing popularity of the injectable drugs as a quick solution for weight loss, Dr. Habineza urged caution.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEven with the medication, once you stop taking it, the appetite returns, and people often regain the weight they lost,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018No quick fixes\u2019<\/p>\n<p>He explained that the drugs work by reducing appetite through the activation of specific brain receptors, making individuals feel full and eat less. However, without a commitment to healthy eating and regular exercise, the weight is likely to return after discontinuing the medication.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s no quick fix for weight loss. The most effective and sustainable way to lose weight is through regular exercise and a healthy diet. It may take time, but it\u2019s a long-term solution that doesn\u2019t come with the risks of quick fixes like Ozempic.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>For More News And Analysis About <span style=\"color: #ff6600\">Rwanda<\/span> Follow <span style=\"color: #ff6600\">Africa-Press<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Africa-Press &#8211; Rwanda. For years, the search for quick fixes to lose weight has captivated people. Ozempic, a drug used to treat diabetes and obesity manufactured by Danish company Novo Nordisk, is gaining global popularity. Countries like the United States and United Kingdom have seen a growing trend of celebrities admitting to using Ozempic to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":93249,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,30],"tags":[4602,474,6947,1457,6944,758,6946,6945],"class_list":["post-93251","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-community","tag-diabetes","tag-health","tag-hypertension","tag-obesity","tag-ozimpic","tag-rwanda","tag-wegovy","tag-weight-loss"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.1 (Yoast SEO v27.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Ozempic: What Rwandan officials say about diabetes, obesity drug? - Rwanda<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"For years, the search for quick fixes to lose weight has captivated people. 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