NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (November 16, 2021) — In acknowledgement of World Diabetes Day 2021 which was observed on November 14, the Nevis Health Promotion Unit (HPU) in the Ministry of Health, will be hosting two activities.
Ms. Shevanee Nisbett, Senior Health Educator at the unit noted on November 15, 2021, that the events are designed to raise awareness about the importance of diabetes care, control, prevention and treatment in keeping with the day’s theme: “The access to diabetes care: If not now, when?”
“This year we will be having an online quiz that would be shown both on our Facebook page Nevis Hpu as well as on NTv in the evening. This quiz will be dubbed ‘What can you eat if you have diabetes?’ and so we are asking the public to tune in both on our Facebook page and on NTv, so you can take part in the quiz and test your knowledge on what you know about diabetes.
“Our other activity would be our World Diabetes Day Mobile Screening. This screening will take place on Thursday, November 18th and Friday, November 19th from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Cotton Ginnery Mall in Charlestown,” she said.
The screening session will entail blood glucose, blood pressure, and proteinuria tests, the measurements of body mass index (BMI) as well as waist circumference.
While encouraging the public to attend the screenings, Ms. Nisbett outlined the significance of the activity.
“It is important that persons come and get screened as knowing your numbers is important for the control or treatment or prevention of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension which are a major issue in our community today…
“The theme is basically encouraging persons, everyone to get access to diabetes care, as well as, if the care is available to you for persons to always try to go and get care that is available, and so we would like persons to be encouraged to go and get your screening,” she said.
The senior health educator added that although it is outside of the general health screening facility which is available between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. at all health centres on the island, persons can also visit their private doctor, family doctor or personal practitioner to get diabetes care.
Ms. Nisbett also encouraged persons to encourage their friends to get screened because of the importance attached to knowing their numbers.