THE Guyana Diabetic Association (GDA), last Friday, made a donation of glucose monitoring kits to check the blood sugar levels of diabetics, to St. Francis Community Developers, of Rose Hall, Corentyne.

Mr. Alex Foster receives the diabetic supplies from Ms. Claudette Thorne as GDA President Ms. Glynis Beaton looks on in background.

The gifts, comprising 50 glucometer testers and strips and educational information, will be used in West Coast Berbice communities, as well and were secured through a collaborative effort between GDA and Home Diagnostic Inc. (HDI) of the United States.

GDA President, Ms. Glynis Beaton, explained that HDI had previously donated 200 such kits to the same beneficiary organisation, as a good will gesture for World Diabetes Day 2009.

Making the presentation, to Executive Director of St. Francis Developers, Mr. Alex Foster, was GDA Treasurer, Ms. Claudette Thorne, at the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) headquarters, Brickdam, Georgetown.

Thorne, on behalf of HDI, expressed gratitude to Minister within the Ministry of Health, Dr Bheri Ramsaran, for his assistance in having the duty free concession extended for the purpose.

Foster, who spoke also on behalf of collaborating partners, Friends of St. Francis, expressed gratitude to the GDA and assured that the paraphernalia will be utilised by the Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) Centre, which offers a series of other tests.

He said such testing will complement what the centre is currently doing and noted that efforts will be made to have competent persons doing the work and monitoring the diabetics, to ensure they derive maximum benefits.