Participants of a one-day conference organised to commemorate World Diabetes Day on Friday November 14, have been urged to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

Adopting a healthy lifestyle – eating healthy meals as well as plenty of fruit, drinking plenty of water, doing regular exercises – will ensure a normal body weight which will definitely help diabetic patients.

This was the main message conveyed at the conference, organised by the West Region Health Team with the support of the Health Education and Promotion Division in the Ministry of Health.

Held at the Berjaya Mahe Beach Hotel the conference, under the theme Ou ki an Kontrol Dyabet, was attended by more than 100 diabetic patients from Anse Boileau, Beolière and Port Glaud.

Mrs Gemma Barbier, director Community Health Services, launched the conference, which aimed at increasing public awareness on the measures to prevent diabetes and educate diabetic patients on measures to reduce complications that may arise from the disease.

On behalf of the MoH, Mrs Barbier congratulated the organizers of the conference for their initiative and called on other regions to follow suit.

She called on diabetic patients to acquire maximum information on how to control diabetes.

Following a study on foot care conducted this year in the western region of Mahe, the results showed that there was a need to educate diabetic patients on the best ways to care for their feet among other issues related to diabetes.

The participants learned more about the nutrition aspect of diabetes, the medication and complications of diabetes through different presentations by doctors, nurses and nutritionists.

At the conference Mrs Letimy Monthy, who has been a diabetic patient for four years, gave a testimony on the kind of life she lives as a diabetic patient. The 63-year-old from Anse Boileau said that though she had been diagnosed with diabetes, she lives a normal life.

She nevertheless noted that in order to stay healthy she takes her medication as required, exercises regularly and eat a healthy meal.

Mrs Monthy also urged other diabetes patients to follow her good example so that they too can live a healthy life.

Also present at the conference were the Minister for Health Patrick Pillay and other officials from the ministry, members of the National Assembly, district administrators and other invited guests.

This year’s theme for the World Diabetes Day was “Diabetes and kidney diseases: Act now!"

LINKS