Wearable technology glucose monitoring soon – NCD director
Dr Leslie Ramsammy, Advisor to the Health Minister
In the coming months, the Health Ministry is planning to introduce a programme that focuses on continuous glucose monitors testing, whereby, through wearable technology, diabetic patients are able to easily track their blood sugar levels over time.
Director of the Non-Communicable Diseases Unit, Dr Lachmie Lall, made this announcement on Wednesday during a Farm Day activity for children and young adolescents living with Type One diabetes.
Non-Communicable Diseases Unit Director, Dr Lachmie Lall
“The Ministry of Health is here to support life as a Type 1 Diabetic, and in the coming months, we will be rolling out the continuous glucose monitors testing programme. Currently, we’re in the process of exploring this, and if it’s the best possible option for the children, we’ll start with this small cohort of patients and see how they manage,” Dr Lall has said.
Hosted by the Health Ministry’s Chronic Diseases Unit in collaboration with the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA), this first-of-its-kind Farm Day activity engaged some 40 participants in tours of the GSA and the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI).
The Health Ministry also used this opportunity to raise awareness and educate participants on management of Type One diabetes.
Participants tour GSA and NAREI during Farm Day activity
Dr Leslie Ramsammy, Advisor to the Health Minister, has assured participants of the Health Ministry’s constant efforts to keep up with the technological advances that are being made for the treatment and management of diabetes.
“We want to make sure that we use all technologies available. Sometimes it’s ahead of our capacity to do so, but as soon as it is possible, Guyana today wants to make sure that every technology, every treatment, and every technique will be utilised. We don’t want to be a country that is 10 years behind developed countries,” Dr Ramsammy said.
Dr Ramsammy emphasised that Guyana would not allow resource constraints to delay the introduction of effective technology and treatment, whether for prevention or for management of diabetes.
The Health Ministry commissioned its first Diabetes Comprehensive Care Centre at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara in April 2023.
The $65 million facility, which aims to provide enhanced care for diabetic patients, provides services that include eye and cardiovascular screening, diabetic wound care, radiology services, dietary counselling, mental health counselling, physiotherapy, and rehabilitation services.
Dr Ramsammy has said there are 79 children with Type 1 diabetes who have been registered within the Diabetic Registry. Parents of diabetic children who are not yet registered are encouraged to visit the nearest health centre to be enrolled.
In attendance at this Farm Day activity were GSA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Gavin Ramnarine; Guyana Diabetic Association (GDA) President Glynis Beaton; Technical Officer of Diabetes, Dr. Nandishaw Ramsingh, and other GSA and Health Ministry staff members.
