Seychelles joined the rest of the world in commemorating World Health Day under the theme “Beat Diabetes” in a series of activities throughout the week. The activities were organised by the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the World Health Organisation and other key partners including various other ministries and agencies.

The highlight of the activities was the long service award ceremony for some 60 health workers on the 7th April at the International Conference Centre Seychelles where in the presence of the President of the Republic, His Excellency James Michel and other high level government officials, the Minister of Health Mrs Mitcy Larue and the WHO Liaison Officer ai, Dr. Humphrey Karamagi delivered their remarks to mark the theme. In her remarks Minister Larue highlighted the alarming status of diabetes in Seychelles where she said over the past 25 years the number of men with diabetes in the Seychelles has risen from 6.2% to 12% and for women it has increased from 6.2% to 11%. She said that currently over 6000 Seychellois between the ages of 25 and 64 are diagnosed with diabetes, and that although a lot have already been done, there remains still a lot more to be done to curb the trend.

The WHO Liaison Officer, Dr. Humphrey Karamagi on the other hand talked of the global diabetes epidemic and indicated that the total number of adults living with diabetes has increased four-fold between 1980 and 2014. He highlighted the risk factors associated with diabetes, factors which he said is on the rise in most countries. Dr. Karamagi said that the cost in morbidity and mortality to diabetes is high but that solutions to this epidemic do exist;

“Given the current and future burden associated with diabetes, we will not be able to achieve our SDGs without real and concerted effort to tackle this epidemic. Through the SDGs – target 3.4 specifically – we have committed to reduce NCD-related premature mortality and to improve access to essential medicines and basic technologies”. Dr Karamagi ended his address by highlighting the six main actions WHO is recommending to countries to address the global diabetes epidemic and urged Seychelles to consider and implement the recommendations of the first Global report on diabetes, which was being launched that same day.

Activities to commemorate World Health Day continued on the 8th April with a ‘Diabetes Awareness Roadshow’, a healthy food fair and launching of the “Family against Diabesity” national campaign at the Ministry of Health Headquarters. The roadshow travelled from the Ministry of Health’s headquarters to Market Street, Roche Caiman, Providence and back to the starting point where popular local artist Sandra and Ion kid were present to entertain the crowd with a newly released song on diabetes. Along the way at the Roche Caiman swimming pool, young students and the elderly joined in a session of aquatic exercise in an attempt to ‘beat diabetes’.

Parallel to the activities that day was also an exhibition organised by the Ministry of Health which showcased better ways to be healthy.

At the launching of the ‘Family against Diabesity’ campaign later that afternoon, the Minister of Health, Mrs Larue called on all families to “put in more effort, to be even more determined and united to fight the diabetes and the obesity epidemic”.    

World Health activities continued on the 10th April with a Family Sport Day at the Freedom Square Sport Complex in the capital Victoria.    

Other activities organised to commemorate the day included a half-day workshop at the Seychelles Hospital by Hemas Hospital for Teachers and School Health Nurses on the theme ‘Beat Diabetes’ as well as a mass for health workers at the Good Shepherd’s Church on the 6th April. The World health Day message of the Director General Dr. Margaret Chan was published alongside that of the Minister of Health’s in the most popular national newspaper “Seychelles Nation” on April 7th. A number of TV and radio programmes on the prevention and control of diabetes were also aired in the media.

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For more information, please contact:

Doreen Hotive (Mrs), NPO/HIP, Tel: (248) 4224795, Email:  hotived [at] who.int
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Below:

01. The aquatic session exercise in full swing

02. Health staff and students participates in some physical exercise at the launch of Family against Diabetes campaign