Delivered by Minister of State with Responsibility for Health, Social Services, Gender Affairs & Community Development Hon Wendy Colleen Phipps Monday, November 14, 2016
Fellow Citizens & Residents of St. Kitts and Nevis:
“Eyes on Diabetes” is the theme chosen by the United Nations (UN) as the 2016 international observance of World Diabetes Day on November 14, 2016. In keeping with this global celebration the St. Kitts Diabetes Association has organised the 2016 Diabetes Awareness Week, from November 13-19, 2016, in an effort to educate the public on diabetes as a chronic disease. The week of activities is also meant to stress the need for citizens and residents of our Federation to consistently practice healthy lifestyles and dietary practices and, in the process, not lose sight of the dangers associated with diabetes.
The Ministry of Health congratulates the Diabetes Association for the invaluable supporting role it continues to play in promoting the imperatives of health and wellness. The Ministry of Health is indeed heartened by this strong partnership response to diabetes. Moreover, as our Country joins the rest of the global community in celebrating World Diabetes Day we acknowledge the huge impact that the disease has had on world populations in both the developed and developing worlds. Since its launch in 2006 by the UN, World Diabetes Day has become the world’s largest campaign for diabetes awareness, and attracts a global audience of over one (1) billion people.
World Diabetes Day has two core objectives, namely:
- To function as a platform that promotes the advocacy efforts of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF); and
- To be the global driver that promotes the importance of using a coordinated and focused approach to confront diabetes as a critical world health issue.
A number of awareness-raising and educational programmes have been planned by the St. Kitts Diabetes Association to mark Diabetes Awareness Week and World Diabetes Day 2016.
These activities include:
- Worship at St. George’s Anglican Church yesterday, Sunday, November 13th;
- Free Health Screenings at Independence Square on Friday, November 18th;
- Presentations to Schools on November 15th – 16th;
- Round Table Discussion on ZIZ; and
- Health Walk on Saturday, November 19th from the Cenotaph in Fortlands, to the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB), then back to the Cenotaph
The Ministry of Health encourages the general public to fully support all of the various activities, wherever practical. The public is particularly encouraged to attend the free health screenings, given the fact that the medical advice and information received could be life-changing and lifesaving.
The Ministries of Health in St. Kitts and Nevis wish to remind the public that diabetes can be a debilitating disease and should not be taken lightly. In St. Kitts and Nevis – and the wider Caribbean for that matter – diabetes has become a major public health concern: it is one of the major noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) that have collectively become the leading cause of mortality and morbidity among our people. Other NCDs include cancer and heart disease.
In its 2016 diabetes awareness campaign the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) has reminded the global community that diabetes can affect one’s vision, cause eye disease, and in some cases, lead to blindness. It is for this reason why early detection and treatment of diabetes are keys to preventing vision loss and negative impact on diabetics’ careers and socio-economic status. The IDF also notes that one in every two individuals with diabetes is unaware that they are diabetic. For this reason, it is imperative for everyone to have regular medical check-ups in order to know their status relative to Type 2 diabetes.
It should also be noted that in 2015 some 415 million persons were living with diabetes. At this pace, it is also predicted that by the year 2040 this number can rise to 642 million, with much of the growth being concentrated in low to middle income countries. The cost of diabetic care on the global economies cannot be overlooked either: the IDF estimates that 12% of the global healthcare expenditure is being spent on adults suffering from diabetes (equivalent to US$673 billion in 2015). These statistics re-affirm the staggering impact of diabetes on our global populations – to epidemic proportions.
As our Federation continues to observe Diabetes Awareness Week and World Diabetes Day 2016, the Ministries of Health on St. Kitts and Nevis also use the opportunity to acknowledge the yeoman service that is consistently being rendered by the members of the St. Kitts Diabetes Association. Our Ministry notes in particular, the robust advocacy being done by the Association’s core membership.
These individuals are:
• PRESIDENT: Nurse Christine Wattley
• VICE PRESIDENT: Davida Irish
• SECRETARY: Mr Earle Clarke
• TREASURER: Ms Merle Liburd-Browne
• PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER: Dr Reginald O’Loughlin
• and NOMINATED MEMBERS: Janelle Lewis-Tafari, Jasmine Hanley-Taquechel, Reverend Wilfred Daniel, and Mrs Rosalyn Grant
Conclusion
I wish to re-emphasize the fact – as I did in last year’s address on World Diabetes Day - that the disease is a life-altering condition that should not be taken lightly. With a healthy diet, exercise, medication, a positive outlook, and particular attention to matters such as foot care, diabetes can be well-managed and the quality and duration of life can be maximized for the persons living with the disease. Let us all join the St. Kitts Diabetes Association in observance of both Diabetes Awareness Week and World Diabetes Day 2016.
Let us keep our “Eyes on Diabetes” as we continue to educate the public on diabetes, its impact, and the national response that is required to keep the disease in check. With God as our Creator and the Author of Life let us also commit ourselves to the promotion and preservation of healthy lifestyles that are necessary for the underpinning of our social and economic development, and the posterity of our people.
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