Diabetes Days: Free health check-ups from RSU medical students on 24 and 25 November

For the third year, the Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) ophthalmology interest group is organising an awareness-raising event for diabetes that will take place on 24 and 25 November at 11.00-16.00 at the Riga Plaza shopping centre. Visitors will have the opportunity to find out their eye pressure, visual acuity, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels free of charge, as well as assess their risk of stroke based on individual biometric factors.

The event will take place in cooperation with the Ophthalmology Clinic of Pauls Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital, MFD Healthcare Group, the Latvian American Eye Centre, and the patient association ParSirdi.lv.

November is Diabetes Awareness Month. According to the National Health Service, there are more than 95,000 registered diabetes patients in Latvia. In 65% of cases, diabetes is diagnosed when late complications have already developed. By organising Diabetes Days, RSU students want to highlight the reasons why this disease is emerging and becoming more prevalent. Students from other interest groups – neurology and neurosurgery, cardiology, and internal medicine – will also take part in the event. 

Visitors will have an opportunity to receive information on the different types of diabetes, first symptoms, possible changes in the eyes, nervous tissue, and other organs and organ systems. In addition, the students will provide healthy dietary recommendations to prevent and control not only diabetes but also cardiovascular diseases.

The aim of the campaign is to encourage people to take a few minutes to assess their health, as essential health indicators such as blood pressure and blood glucose levels can be measured quickly and easily not only in GP's offices, but also at home. These indicators are very important as they can provide basic information about a person's health. Certain indicators might also be the first signs of the early stages of more serious diseases.

‘Unfortunately, in our hectic lives, we don't always have time to take care of the most important thing – our health.

We support health care, which is why we regularly encourage visitors to Riga Plaza to take part in various campaigns

Including for blood donation, breast cancer, or diabetes. This time too, we invite visitors to take advantage of the opportunity to receive free health consultations,’ says Irīna Toropova, Asset Management Director at Colliers, the manager of Rīga Plaza.