Devon Eva, Gleaner WriterOCHO RIOS, St. Ann:
THE CARIBBEAN Food & Nutrition Institute (CFNI) is warning that the lack of proper management of diabetes has begun to impact negatively on economic development in the region, as well as impoverishing many people.
According to director of the CFNI, Dr. Fitzroy Henry, deaths from diabetes in the Caribbean have risen from seventh place in 1983 to number three today. He said the trend indicates that the situation will get worse if the disease is not properly managed.
Dr. Henry was delivering the keynote address at Thursday's official opening of the 12th International Diabetes Conference at the Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort in Ocho Rios.
DISEASE OF POVERTY
"We meet today when the annual cost to treat diabetes in the Caribbean is about US$700 per person and is set to join the ranks not only of those considered to be diseases of poverty, but also a cause of poverty." Dr. Henry further warned that if left unchecked, diabetes will disable and kill many more people and further stifle economic development in many countries, especially those where growth is mostly needed.
Meanwhile, chief nurse scientist for nursing and midwifery at the World Health Organisation in Geneva, Dr. Jean Yan, pointed out that cases of diabetes were rapidly expanding with the disease now a major threat to global public health.
She said that an estimated 170 million people are now suffering from diabetes globally, and that the number is expected to double by the year 2030.
Dr. Yan also said that the burden diabetes was having on the health and economies of countries worldwide could be made even worse if the disease is not managed properly.
Dr. Yan was delivering the Sir Alister McIntyre Distinguished Lecture at the conference. She said that lack of successful management could see diabetes becoming the most expensive problem faced by the health care system.
The three-day conference is being hosted by the University of the West Indies' Diabetes Outreach Programme, CFNI and the UWI's School of Nursing, Mona, under the theme 'The Diabetes Management Team'.
