Diabetics urged to become more active |15 November 2017

The Ministry of Health is embarking on a fully integrated management of diabetes to encourage patients with the disease to become more active in their treatment and personal health.

This was brought to light in a half day forum held yesterday at the Sheikh Khalifa Diagnostic Centre to commemorate the world wide occurrence of Diabetes Day.

Present at the forum were President Danny Faure, the Minister for Health Jean- Paul Adam, numerous health officials and around 100 diabetic patients.

In his opening address the Minister Adam mentioned the introduction of two new tools for people living with diabetes: the diabetes passport and the National Integrated Pathway of Care for diabetes.

These tools, stated Minister Adam, will help in lessening the burden of diabetes which is “all too visible in the Seychelles” since the last survey on non-communicable diseases showed 11 out of every 100 adult in the country has diabetes.

“This means that every Seychellois is likely to know someone affected by diabetes,” Minister Adam gloomily stated.

“The obesity epidemic that our country is facing is also set to create further challenges in terms of effectively managing diabetes.”

Accordingly the diabetes passport, a tool developed to document and properly monitor patients’ medical details, is key in helping to manage the disease.

Lindy Gilbert, the diabetes nurse for hospital services, stated that 1000 diabetic patients are currently on this passport pilot programme which kick started in October of this year.

The diabetic passport holds medical details such as the patient’s medical contacts, prescribed medications, blood sugar levels, target goals among others.

Patients for the trial have been carefully chosen from English River, Anse Boileau, Beau Vallon, Baie Sainte Anne Praslin, Anse Royale and Les Mamelles clinics.

Also available with the passport are 18 booklets, each designed with its own theme which includes topics on insulin, nutrition and exercise.

Once the trial period ends in March 2018, the passports will enter a long process of review and evaluation and Ms Gilbert said she hopes it will be ready for full implementation for the 2018 World Diabetes Day.

Whereas the diabetes passport targets patients, the National Integrated Pathway of Care for diabetes has been developed to target health professionals and will redesign the ways in which they coordinate with each other to provide better patient centred care.

Both of these tools aim to improve risk detention and management of at risk clients, structure education programme for all diabetics, provide clear referral guidelines and indicators for monitoring the patient and the care giver, and empower patients to take more responsibility for their own care.

Aside from presentations on these two novel tools, President Faure had the honour to hand over a booklet on “My Health, My Responsibility” to three invitees.

In his address to those present, President Faure thanked the hospital staff who had a hand in treating and caring for his mother who also had had diabetes.

He stated that it was around that period he learnt about the shocking statistics on diabetes from Minister Adam and, from then, had vowed to not only support the theme “My Health, My Responsibility” but also live it.

“In March 2017 I weighed 86.6 kilos but after eating healthier I now weigh 71 kilos,” the president stated while motivating the patients.

He added next year’s goal will be to exercise more and humorously said that at least once a week he will be calling employees from a public department or organisation to join him in a 30 minute walk.

“Will this not help? Will it not help in reducing the cost to our medical system? This is the path forward,” he concluded.

The forum continued with various presentations and panel discussions until noon.