Statistics in Fiji reveal that the total number of people living with Type 1 diabetes from 2014 to 2018 stands at 500 and the youngest person living with Type 1 diabetes in the Northern Division is 10 years old.
This was highlighted by the Minister for Health and Medical Services Rosy Akbar while officiating at the Diabetes Fiji Juvenile Northern Camp.
She stressed that it is imperative that young people are aware of their risks as well as being aware of the signs and symptoms of the disease so that they can present earlier to a health facility for a diagnostic test and access treatment.
Akbar adds that the camp is a great platform to address health issues that affects the lives of our youth adding that diseases like Diabetes, Rheumatic Heart Disease and Tuberculosis need to be taken very seriously.
The Health Minister also revealed that in 2017, 358 cases of TB were recorded nationally, of which, 60% were from the Central and Eastern Division, 30% from the West and 10% or 36 cases in the Northern Division.
Akbar also highlighted that in Fiji, according to the current national Rheumatic Heart Disease register, there are a total of almost 3,500 people living with Rheumatic Heart Disease and in the North, there are approximately 800 people registered as having being diagnosed with Rheumatic Heart Disease.
She stressed that it is of great concern that people developing diabetes, regardless of what type, are getting younger.
Akbar says that the youth camp will further enhance the young people’s opportunity to seek ways to improve their health knowledge of how to take care of themselves and their families and to build relationships with the doctors, nurses, other healthcare providers that will be providing education and services to young people during 2 day camp.
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