World Diabetes Day is observed on November 14th. In Tobago, as part of the observance, persons received a holistic health check as the Canaan/Bon-Accord and Scarborough Branches of the Trinidad and Tobago Diabetes Awareness Association hosted a Health Fair in Scarborough.
Founder and Chairman of the Trinidad and Tobago Diabetes Association’s Canaan/Bon-Accord Branch, Maud Guy-Quamina, said for 22 years they have been engaging the public in exercising activities and this year they wanted to take their initiative to the capital.
“It’s all about community so we wanted to get the community of Scarborough and the environment more involved. So our coming here today, I must say it is great. The experience here this morning, a lot of people keep coming.”
Member Aysha James said the Scarborough Branch which was founded by Dr. Maxwell Adeyemi is focused on advocating for persons with diabetes and so they readily jumped on board plans for the Health Fair.
“Diabetes is the number one Non-Communicable Diseases in Trinidad and Tobago resulting in renal failure to name the most serious. We have a lot of people now coming down with renal failure and that is the number one cause of renal failure in Trinidad and Tobago. We also have high blood pressure which is the other big thing that we are dealing with.”
It was a busy day as members of the public took full advantage of the services provided. Mrs. Quamina explained it is all about managing one’s food intake and maintaining a balance to prevent diabetes. She said the Association has been making some headway in adjusting the habits of the community’s youth.
“Some of the teachers, they have made changes in the school by lowering the snacks and the drinks so I know that there are changes but when coming to the bigger people who are already set in their ways, some of them it’s hard to get them to change and then you know because we are a people who like festivals and in all the festivals, you know we have it, is all kind of things to eat.”
In addition to food intake, she said mental health balance is also important.
“Stay low on partly everything. Stay low on even problems and worries, you know the social part of all what is going on? You have to kind of free your mind and your system to stay healthy.”
Ms. James said the Scarborough Branch hopes those in authority and others involved in the agriculture sector will also play their part and be considerate of the costs of fruits and vegetables to meet the needs of those with diabetes.