‘Strong Leadership’ advocated – Min. Lawrence opens discussion on fight against diabetes
DPI, Guyana, Friday, March 22, 2019
The International Diabetes Federation – North America and the Caribbean is currently hosting its Regional meeting in Guyana at the Marriott Hotel. This conference is extended from March 22 to 24, 2019. The representatives of member states will review back work done previously in efforts to tackle the Non-Communicable Disease (NCD), diabetes.
Further, projections will be made for partnerships to progress in the fight against diabetes effectively. Representatives from Barbados, Belize, The British Virgin Islands, Mexico and Guyana are participating in this exercise.
Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence was invited to open discussion which will be facilitated over the three-day period. Taking into consideration statistics and facts which remain concerning diabetes, the minister concluded that it is strong leadership and effective partnerships which will result in success in these endeavours of preventing or even controlling diabetes.
“I want to say to you that you cannot do it without the political will, and I am saying it from the place in which I stand as the Minister of Public Health… I believe that as a politician it is my right, having sworn to protect the people to ensure that I do it in all spheres… it takes strong leadership and strong leadership is not only at the political level, but I see strong leaders in this room.”
She tied the scourge of diabetes with at least one other NCD, cancer, which accounts for a large percentage of premature deaths in Guyana and by extension the world. Referring to the Presidential Commission on NCDs, it was noted that this is a clear example of the collaboration which must be fostered for the government, private sectors and civil society to have a firm grip in prevention and control of all NCDs.
PAHO/WHO’s representative in Guyana, Dr. William Adu-Krow advised the gathering not to be satisfied with marginal decreases in deaths caused by Diabetes. Instead, he underlined the importance of the meeting and outlined data which proves that there is still work to be done.
“Diabetes was the fourth leading cause of death in 2014. We just finished a review of the mortality data and in 2016 it’s falling to the sixth place, however, when it was fourth in 2014, it had about 8.3 per cent of all the deaths but in 2016 it contributed to 9.3 per cent of all the deaths, so for us it is still an important issue,” Dr. Adu-Krow said.
Diabetes remains a major health issue in the world as more than 400 million persons are affected by the disease. A healthy diet, regular physical activity, maintaining normal body weight and avoiding tobacco use are ways to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes, especially type two diabetes.
Glynis Beaton, President of the Guyana Diabetic Association and Chairperson of the International Diabetes Federation North America and Caribbean Region, is spearheading the meeting in Guyana.
She remarked, “after this meeting, we will take away what you have and implement in your countries and we hope you can take away what we have and implement in your country to help fight this dangerous and hard disease since I have been living with it for 29 years.”
Delicia Haynes.
Images: Jules Gibson.