BRIDGETOWN,
Barbados, Friday November 16, 2012 – Diabetes is among the main cause of death
in The Bahamas, Jamaica and Dominica, with health officials in Nassau
describing the disease as a “national epidemic”.
Bahamas
Health Minister Dr Perry Gomez said that diabetes is the fifth leading cause of
death for all ages with a rate of 29.2 deaths per 100,000 people.
He
said the situation required the attention of all stakeholders “if we are to
bring the numbers down to a more manageable level”.
Dr
Gomez said statistics from the Princess Margaret Hospital show that there was
an average of 100 “lower extremity amputations” in The Bahamas from the period
2002-2006, and that there were 165 below the knee amputations in 2002 alone.
He
said the rates could be higher as figures from the Rand Memorial Hospital in
Freeport, Grand Bahama, and Doctors Hospital in New Providence have not been
included.
“These
numbers represent a significant number of limbs lost, and lives that are
irrevocably changed,” Dr Gomez said. “Surely, these rates are unacceptable. The
time has come for us to focus on prevention and education of the citizens of
this country.
“We
are aware that this disease can be contained by making lifestyle changes,” he
told a symposium held under the theme: “Diabetic Foot 101: Saving Legs, Saving
Lives”.
“This
Diabetic Foot Symposium is designed to create an awareness of the devastating
impact of diabetic foot complications and to improve the skills of healthcare
professionals in preventing and managing the complications of the disease,” Dr
Gomez said.
Meanwhile,
Jamaica’s Health Minister Dr Fenton Ferguson, in a message marking World
Diabetes Day, said that 173,642 Jamaicans over 25 years old and 6,914 youths
15-24 years old suffer from diabetes.
“Diabetes
is one of the leading causes of death accounting for 12.9 per cent of all
deaths in Jamaica. Yet, 80 per cent of type II diabetes is preventable. Death
and disability from diabetes and non-communicable diseases can be prevented by
addressing the four main lifestyle risk factors which are physical inactivity,
unhealthy diet, tobacco use and harmful use of alcohol.”
Dr
Ferguson said that several National surveys show that these risk factors
continue to increase and spread throughout the Jamaican population.
But
he said that in order tackle these behaviours, “we must start early, and target
children and youth as behaviours are formed early in life”.
“Let
us start with ourselves and our families in engaging in these healthy habits
and work together to create supportive environments, for example smoke free
spaces, and areas for physical activity. Many of us know persons living with
diabetes or ourselves have diabetes. We must also support persons living with
this disease so they can lead productive lives.”
In
Dominica, meanwhile, Health Minister Julius Timothy is equally disturbed about
recent trends related to the disease.
“I
am deeply concerned with the increase in the number of amputations due to
diabetic ulcers, a preventable condition in Dominica. Diabetes is known to be a
contributing factor to the development of blindness and kidney disease,” he
said.
Timothy
said more than 35 people were presently on dialysis at the Princess Margaret
Hospital, due mainly to diabetes, and urged all stakeholders to begin to take
responsibility to protect the health of future generations.
“This
calls for a strengthening of links between the population, the ministry of
health, the business community, church and other governmental organizations”,
Timothy said in a message to mark World Diabetes Day. (CMC)
SOURCE: http://www.caribbean360.com
No comments:
Post a Comment