She said that the partnership continues to play a key role in educating the public and promoting of health and wellness in the Federation.
“This joint approach is critical in confronting the disease head-on, with a view of reducing its incidence in our population and limiting the negative impact upon individual diabetics, their families, their livelihoods and their quality of life,” she stated.
Minister Phipps personally thanked the members of the executive team on the association for their yeoman’s service.
The members are President, Ms. Christine Wattley; Vice President, Ms. Davida Irish; Secretary, Nurse Mary Caines; Treasurer, Mrs. Merle Liburd Browne; Public Relations Officer, Dr. Reginald O’Loughlin, and nominated members Randolph Taylor, Jasmin Hanley, Laverne Millington and Janell Lewis-Tafari.
“The Ministry of Health also thanks the rest of the Association’s membership for their ongoing support and partnership in helping our people to live healthy lives, to realise that diabetes is not a death sentence, and to do all in our power to prevent the onset of diabetes wherever possible,” Minister Phipps added.
She encouraged the public to actively support the planned activities in observance of the local Diabetes Awareness Week, to spread awareness on the effects of diabetes.
“The Ministry calls on all of us as citizens and residents of the Federation to discover our status regarding diabetes by getting regular medical check-ups. We are also called upon to prevent diabetes wherever possible. Diabetes is not a death sentence. It calls for a lifestyle change to improve the quality of life for the individuals and their families,” she said.
World Diabetes Day was celebrated on Wednesday, November 14 under the theme, “The Family and Diabetes.” The activities to commemorate the week run from November 11 – 18, 2018.
