The Costa Rican Association to Fight Diabetes will alert the population about “Women and diabetes”, or rather about the consequences of this chronic disease.
This is a non-profit association that seeks to educate and empower people with diabetes and their families to achieve a better quality of life, avoiding long-term complications. It has been working since 2012 and it has been a member of the International Diabetes Federation for four years.
November 14th marks the World Diabetes Day and by 2017 the theme focuses on women and their role in adopting healthy lifestyles in their families in order to prevent the disease.
Despite the fact that this illness is an epidemic, it is not given that much importance. Its global growth is significant: currently, about 400 million people are estimated to have it. However, 50% are unaware of this, which leads to irreversible damages and complications in the body, and even death.
According to the Association, in Costa Rica the education of the patient is very poor and does not meet all the needs.
For example, we are currently requesting a change in the glucometer being given by the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) to people with type 1 diabetes, which shows variable results. In addition, they are not given the supplies needed to make all the daily blood glucose tests to take corrective actions on time. This causes insecurity and even depression in the medium and long-term, as well as complications (amputations, renal failure, diabetic retinopathy, blindness, among others),”
said Ana Ortega, president and co-founder of the Association.
In the framework of November 14th, some actions will be carried out in our country:
-Lightening of the Art Museum on November 4th at 4:30 p.m.
-Diabetes Prevention Campaign Costa Rica, to be held on November 12th in La Sabana, at 10:00 a.m.
-The five-kilometer race and three-kilometer walk, “Movete por la Diabetes”, which will be held internally in La Sabana, on November 19th at 8:00 a.m.
-Also, the congress “Don’t Let Diabetes Surprise You”, organized for the sixth time between Ucimed Life Day. This year it will be held on November 25th from 08:00 a.m. to 03:00 p.m.