THE Ministry of Health Saturday collaborated with private institutions in hosting its annual two-day youth camp for children living with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, at the Splashmin’s Camping Ground, Linden/Soesdyke Highway. The objective of the camp is to educate children and their care-givers to manage the condition, thus reducing susceptibility to other health challenges and risks associated with it, to ensure a better quality of health and life expectancy.
The camp is a refresher session organized with games that would not only teach the care-givers how to manage diabetes level, but also to spread awareness that such a programme is present in Guyana.
Bounty Farm, located in the area, was among the first sponsors of the programme before the camp started, now there is a growing number of sponsors willing to assist in providing required medication for children living with diabetes.
Princess Nash and Rebecca Marsile, Peace Corps volunteers, along with Jacqueline Williams and Neibert Tucker, nurses from Ministry of Health’s Chronic Diseases Department, were at the camp to assist in the teaching and distribution of hampers.
The International Federation of Australia (IDF) made a presentation of supplies to the care-givers of the children for testing sugar level. Each package contained glucometer and Novopen, the former being the newest technology that avoids the trauma of self injecting syringes that were used previously.
Melanie Wilson, mother of an 11-year-old, mentioned that she was at the camp last year and chose to be present again to gain more experience and knowledge about diabetes.
For seventeen year-old Manzoor Gafoor, he would love to return next year. Manzoor said that he is grateful for the service that he receives at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
This issue may not be as prevalent as it is in other countries, yet Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy finds it necessary that it be addressed.
“While we cannot promise to stop diabetes from ever happening, we can promise that diabetes will not take the lives of our children, and will not stop them from going on to being productive citizens of our country; together we will win this battle; we can be a healthier nation,” Dr Ramsammy said.
The United Nations will have a special programme next month to address chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart diseases, hypertension and cancer.
Guyana has put on the agenda “Diabetes among children” as a special developmental issue. It will be given a special award by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in September for its response to chronic diseases. (GINA)