The Ministry of Health and Social Development is seeking to standardise the approach to diabetes management through a series of webinars.

The sessions are intended for clinicians, medical professionals, caretakers and persons with diabetes (PWD) and will be held on November 8, 15 and 22, via the WebEx platform.

Chief Nursing Officer Ms. Jacinth Hannibal said that the webinars will be tailored to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) guidelines on the Management of Diabetes in Primary Care in the Caribbean.

Ms. Hannibal said, “This model provides a strategic approach to improving diabetes health outcomes by providing simple directives on key aspects of care for persons with diabetes.”

The objective of the webinar series is to improve the effectiveness and quality of care by standardising clinical practices, and reducing costly and preventable mistakes and adverse events.

“The Ministry supports these guidelines for use in all primary health care settings including private and public facilities,” the Chief Nursing Officer said.

Medical Officer at the BVI Health Services Authority, Dr. Shana-Kay Fraser stated that the model utilises a client centred approach to care where a team of health care providers are involved in diabetes management rather than only a doctor or nurse within a facility. 

“The guidelines seek to optimise the care delivered to persons living with diabetes in the VI. Dr. Fraser said, adding, “Our goal is to improve quality of life by minimising the development of complications and death. Also to mitigate at a population level prevention, risk reduction and early diagnosis of diabetes.”

Clinicians and healthcare practitioners can access the registration page for session one on November 8 titled Evidence Based Treatment Protocols for Diabetes at:

https://bvigov.webex.com/bvigov/j.php?RGID=rbec3babb94f9c8635351cdac4d4db3eb

Doctors, nurses, caregivers and person with Diabetes can access the registration page for session two on November 15 entitled Healthy Lifestyle Counseling at:

https://bvigov.webex.com/bvigov/j.php?RGID=rd0ab4be58daba4f8b009a22fdc8d33f0

Primary care providers can access the registration page for the session on November 22 titled Systems and Monitoring at: https://bvigov.webex.com/bvigov/j.php?RGID=rbb43731e0f62a3f3948d2e891a0efed9

All sessions begin at 6:00 p.m.

Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as ‘high blood sugar’, is a chronic illness which extends across an individual’s life span affecting families and communities here in the Virgin Islands, Caribbean and the globe. The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), of which the VI is a member state, reported that within the English and Dutch speaking Caribbean, diabetes remains one of the top three causes of death, accounting for between 8% to 12% of deaths annually.

 The Ministry of Health and Social Development remains committed to strengthening social protection policies and programmes, which aim to reducing poverty and inequality, and improving economic security in the Virgin Islands.