Fight against diabetes ramped up by Heath Ministry

…as pre-diagnosis programme expanded

The Health Ministry is taking an aggressive approach to combat diabetes in Guyana by expanding its pre-diagnosis programme, aimed at detecting and preventing the disease before it develops.
This was revealed on Monday by Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony during the award ceremony for the National Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Commission first-ever Essay and Poster Competition.
In 2023, the Health Ministry revealed that a total of 150 young persons in Guyana were battling type 1 diabetes while an estimated 60,000 persons have type 2 diabetes.
During his address, Dr Anthony emphasised the importance of early intervention, highlighting that diabetes remains a major health challenge in Guyana. He noted that many individuals fail to take medication consistently, leading to uncontrolled diabetes and severe complications.
“Diabetes, as you would know from your research, is a big problem in Guyana. We have had lots of cases…We want to move our programme where we can detect people who are even pre-diabetic, meaning before you actually get diabetes and if we are able to detect that, then we can do a lot more to prevent that person from becoming diabetic. There are lots of risk factors and so forth. And we want to reduce those risk factors and educate people so they understand what those risk factors are,” Dr Anthony said.

The Health Ministry’s diabetes programme is the introduction of updated national guidelines for diabetic care. These guidelines highlight the role of lifestyle modification, early diagnosis, and comprehensive management plans aimed at delivering individualised, high-quality care across the nation.
Guyana has made HbA1C testing a standard for diagnosing and monitoring diabetes. This advanced screening tool, now available in 82 health facilities, provides a three-month average of blood glucose levels, allowing for more accurate treatment adjustments and better long-term outcomes for diabetic patients.
These efforts were commended by the Chairman of the National NCD Commission, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, who praised the Ministry’s leadership in tackling diabetes, but stressed the need for greater public awareness and prevention efforts.
He also called for the revival of the Diabetic Youth Camp, a once-annual initiative that provided education and support for children living with diabetes. Ramsammy urged that the programme be resuscitated in 2025, emphasising that young diabetic patients often become highly knowledgeable advocates for managing the disease.
“Whatever new medicines come, whatever new diagnostic tool come, and whether we have all of them in place or not would not matter if we do not have an aware population because as long as the battle is at the level of treatment and care, you have already lost ground. The battle has to be prevention. And for that you need an aware population, an educated population… And I hope that in 2025, I’m speaking as the commission, right? So, our job is to advocate that in 2025 we resuscitate it in a big way,” Dr Ramsammy said.
Diabetes is a chronic condition where the body can’t properly use or produce insulin, leading to high blood sugar. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that stops insulin production, while Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body resists insulin or makes too little. Without management, it can cause serious health issues.
The Diabetic Youth Camp is aimed at educating children, along with their parents about the disease and how they can manage it.
Additionally, they gain hands-on experience with blood sugar monitoring, insulin administration, and carbohydrate counting in a supportive environment. Campers also learn how exercise, nutrition, and daily routines impact their blood sugar levels. Beyond medical knowledge, they develop emotional resilience, making friends who understand their challenges and boosting their self-esteem.