By Maria Irene Maxan de la Celda / Radio Cadena Agramonte

The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) reports that over 190 million people in the world are suffering from diabetes mellitus and it is believed that the cases could reach more than 333 millions people in 2025.

In Cuba, the Centros de Atención y Educación al Paciente Diabético (facilities which provide assistance and advises to patients suffering from diabetes ) have become clinics where, aside from receiving medical services, the patients and relatives are trained about how to prevent complications.

The Cuban province of Camagüey controls a population of over 39,000 inhabitants with diabetes mellitus, of them almost one hundred are children.

An initiative favoring the children affected with type I diabetes began for first time occurrence in Camagüey this summer, and the project has been called “Week of Coexistence”. Children and parents receive the necessary guidelines to face this ailment that will accompany them for the rest of their lives.

Camagüey-resident Maité González Quintana, tells that it was not easy when his son William Vera González was diagnosed with the illness, however she is very grateful for the help offered to her in the center.

“For me it has been a very nice experience, - she says - although my son has been suffering from this illness for years, now they have explained us more deeply how to deal with this pathology, through lectures and videos, and through face-to-face conversations with other parents and doctors”.

Dr. Frank Medina Alí, a second degree specialist on Endocrinology in the Eduardo Agramonte Piña Pediatric Hospital thinks that this exchange of ideas and experiences is very beneficial because “the children learn how to improve their eating habits, how to shoot the insulin and how to monitor themselves, all these advises have been provided by a multidisciplinary staff”.  

Aside from specialties on podiatry, endocrinology, vascular medicine; the diabetic patients and their parents receive guidelines by psychologist Osana Borges Torres, who works in the Policlínico Provincial de Especialidades Pediátricas (Provincial Polyclinic of Pediatric Specialties).

“This is the first time that I work with diabetic children who, along with their parents, are participating in this ‘Week of Coexistence’. We show them the educational practices, that is, the way to guide their children so that they can live a better life”.

Cuba pays a special attention to the diabetics, following a National Program which includes three levels of medical assistance beginning with the Family Doctor and ending with the National Institute of Endocrinology, and through this long way a considerable number of specialists take part backing up this project. (Translated by Gualveris Rosales)