ONE out of every five Jamaican adults suffers from diabetes, says Professor Errol Morrison, president of the Diabetes Association of Jamaica.

This means that there are approximately 300,000 people living with the disease. But this figure is expected to increase by year end as Morrison said more than 1,000 new cases were reported annually.

"Each year there has been a reported 1,500 new cases of diabetes, which means that people are not eating healthy, which also means that lifestyles need to change," Morrison remarked.

In fact, he cited data that showed diabetes to be the second leading cause of death among Jamaicans in 2005. In the 1980s diabetes was the seventh cause of death.
"Diabetes is largely a lifestyle issue in Jamaica...," Morrison explained.

He was addressing Wednesday's launch of the HOPIE Fund at the Jamaica Conference Centre in Kingston.
The HOPIE fund, named after Althea Bromwell (Hopie) who died in 2004 of complications associated with diabetes, is a non-profit organisation that seeks to provide people needing dialysis treatment with easier access to machines close to where they live, and at reduced rates.

Meanwhile, the HOPIE fund will embark on a number of projects to raise funds.

Sandra Bromwell-Riley, a sister of "Hopie", said the long-term goal is to increase the number of dialysis machines available islandwide, particularly in the rural areas.

"We are going to have mobile clinics to visit these people in St Thomas, St Elizabeth and other parishes where there is limited access to the kind of treatment that is required," Bromwell-Riley explained.

In addition, there is to be a research component that would comprise a mobile unit for the rural areas of Jamaica, with the dual intent of collating research on the prevention of the disease.

In addition, Morrison, who is also president of Blue Cross Jamaica, said his company would be launching the Blue Rewards programme, which will see participating podiatrists, nutritionists, chiropodists, pharmacies and stores offering Blue Care Card holders discounts on services and products.

This initiative would, for example, assist people suffering from kidney problems to access cheaper medication.

Maudeline Chrighton, a diabetic who is now confined to a wheelchair, would welcome the move. She says she spends about $15,000 on medication to treat the disease, and has to travel to Kingston to get treatment.

"We would love to have the treatment closer home because to come Kingston is hard to do, especially when you don't have the money."

"And when you go pon the dialysis machine, you feel weak when you finish the treatment. We are grateful very much for the kind of help that we will get from the fund, and mobile clinic," she said.

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