BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – OFFICIALS at the St. Kitts Diabetes Association (SDA) are tired of pleading for assistance to have a location that they could call home; something that is proving to be a major hurdle.
For many years the association has been calling and making rounds to have a place of its own, from where they can store equipment and formally operate.
They are currently using the Old Boy School on Victoria Road, a location designated for public meetings.
Public Relations Officer of the SDA, Dr. Reginald O’Loughlin told SKNVibes News that the topic of a home is a burning issue that has been plaguing them for some time.
According to the medical practitioner, they want to increase their membership, and many professionals would like to offer their services but the organization does not have a base from which it could effectively function.
He lamented that it means they would not have a data base pointing to who their members are, who has paid their dues and a place to store certain contributions made to the SDA.
“We even have contributions being made, not only in cash ut also material contributions. Just recently we had some insulin and we had nowhere to place them. So I have a box pushed in one room by me and nurse Whattley has one pushed somewhere…”
He noted that the situation is not a “challenge” but a “problem” which needs to be addressed urgently, since communicating with the International Diabetes Federation is a logistical hurdle and the SDA does not have a fixed address.
“So, sometimes they catch me on the road via my private email or they catch nurse Whattley, or whomever. With all of those issues, it is a problem!”
According to the MD, it is easier to count who they did not approached as “we have tried everything and we will continue to try”.
The SDA is hopeful that the message would get across to the relevant authorities so that they would be able to assist them in finding a home for the body.
Dr. O Loughlin revealed that the Chief Medical Officer had indicated that she would go onboard to assist them, “because she sees what we are doing make sense”.
The PRO stated that by having an office from which they could work would make the job much easier on all persons involved in the SDA.
