Diabetes – a significant problem in St. Kitts-Nevis…

He noted that the complications are severe and lamented that it is one of the leading causes of death in the Federation.

“We need to do a lot more in this area. This is one of the major causes of death linking to hypertension,  kidney failure, heart complications…”

Dr. O’Loughlin declared that, seemingly, men are more at risk for such occurrence as “they don’t like to take checkups because they portray themselves as being men. But women, on the other hand, would be screened on a regular basis; most specifically, those who are pregnant”.

He advised that people who have a history of diabetes in their family should take this serious as it could be spread “genetically”. He said that “bad life, lack of a proper diet, obesity and lack of exercise have added to the increase in the number  of diabetes cases in the Federation”.

Dr. O’Loughlin said that the Diabetic Association is just three weeks old and  the Executive body is currently drafting sensitisation  programmes to educate the public about the serious nature of diabetes.

“We  are hoping in 2014 to roll out a number of programmes to work with and bombard the public and what more has to be done to fight diabetes.”

He pointed out that diabetes is one of the leading causes of amputation in St. Kitts and Nevis, with the number standing in excess of 20 per year.

“From 1997 to 2007 there is about 300 recorded amputation of the feet, with most of them being diabetes-related…most being type one and two diabetes,” he explained.

Dr. O’Loughlin threw out a challenge to parents to know whether their kids have diabetes, because he claimed to have seen some young children diagnosed with either type one or two.

He further advised that Kittitians and Nevisians should take frequent checkups at the Health Centre nearest to their residence. By Staff Reporter – SKN Vibes.com