BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE Federation has joined the rest of the world in recognizing today (Nov. 14) as World Diabetes Day.
The recognition comes as health officials in St. Kitts and Nevis host Diabetes Awareness Week, where a number of activities are planned around the Federation to raise awareness on the ailment.
Currently, the Federation, especially St. Kitts, has seen an increase in the number of people coming down with the ailment, according to the Public Relations Officer of the St. Kitts Diabetes Association, Dr. Reginald O’Loughlin.
Addressing the National Assembly today, Junior Minister of Health Hon. Wendy Phipps intimated that this year’s Day is being celebrated under the theme “Women and Diabetes - our right to a healthy future”.
According to the Minister, her Ministry found it rather timely that the International Federation for Diabetes (IDF) would this year take into consideration the impact Diabetes has on women’s health.
“Globally, the estimates tell us that over 200 million females are living with Diabetes…at our 17 health centers we are now recording - based on our diabetic registers – that there are 1,313 diabetics within our public health system,” the Minister said.
Giving a breakdown, the Minister revealed that 934 of the 1,313 diabetics are females.
Moreover, data reveals that there are more diabetics on St. Kitts and its sister island.
“…data is also showing us that of that figure (934) 603 female diabetics are in St. Kitts and 230 males. On our sister island of Nevis there are 331 female diabetics and 149 males.”
That, according to Minister Phipps, paints a clear picture that far more women in the Federation “are now having to live with Diabetes than men”.
The Minister underlined that Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), under which Diabetes fall, constitute the leading cause of disabilities and deaths in the Federation.
From a global perspective, Minister Phipps elucidated that it is responsible for nearly 63% of deaths.
She pointed out that it is important to focus on Diabetes in St. Kitts and Nevis because it is the “leading disease among the group (NCDs)” and the “leading killers that we have”.
At the same time, the Minister stated that “if we take it in the context of the implication it has for persons being able to live healthy and productive lives, it tells us that we need to [do] something about it to continue the efforts that we have put in place and to step it up if we expect to ensure that the quality of life of our people will be sustained for future generations”.
According to the IDF, there are currently over 199 million women living with Diabetes, and that total is projected to increase to 313 million by 2040.
Further, two out of every five women with Diabetes are of reproductive age, accounting for over 60 million women worldwide.
In a statement on its website, the IDF noted that Diabetes is the ninth leading cause of death in women globally, resulting 2.1 million per year, and that women with Type 2 Diabetes are almost 10 times more likely to have coronary heart disease than women without the condition.
It also pointed out that women with Type 1 Diabetes have an increased risk of early miscarriage or having a baby with malformations.
