CHILDREN are an excellent reason for controlling one's diabetes, admitted a mother and employee of the Ministry of Health (MoH) during an event to commemorate World Diabetes Day (WDD) 2011 in Brunei recently.
Hamimah Hj Lamat, 37, who shared her experience in managing her diabetes at the event organised by the ministry and Butra Heidelberg Cement (BHC), said her children are her motivation. Delivering an emotional talk, the mother of five said, "When I see my young children, I cry. In my heart I want to see them grow in front of my eyes. I am a role model to my children."
She was diagnosed with diabetes during her fourth pregnancy, a condition called gestational diabetes. Working as a hospital domestic staff, Hamimah said she sees "how they (diabetic patients) suffer" with medical complications that sometimes lead to amputations. The mother who has managed to lost 18kg in the past eight months from 100.2kg, ask the audience yesterday including the Health Minister to question their goal in life, 'What is more important? Health or the complications of health? We ourselves can change with our efforts and a strong determination'.
Celebrated at the Health Promotion Centre (HPC) on Thursday, the theme for WDD (2009-2013) is "Diabetes Education and Prevention" and the slogan for the year 2011 is "Act Now!". A Memorandum of Understanding between MOH and BHC to address diabetes in Brunei has now entered Phase Two.
On the sidelines of the celebration, Health Facilitating Officer Shahiran Sheriffuddin Shahrani Muhammad from HPC said the current phase of the programme will see the distribution of health badges to be worn by restaurant service staff, as well as fridge magnets, car stickers that says 'Follow me to a healthier lifestyle', wristbands, T-shirts and posters on diabetes to the public.
The Phase Two goodies can be won in a month long quiz on national radio set to test and force people to learn about diabetes, said Shahiran. On the rise of children diagnosed with diabetes Type II, Shahiran said, "It is hard for children to control their glucose at their age."
"Suddenly we are finding kids with diabetes. It is scary. You are suppose to be a kid and this (diabetes) kind of thing happens," he added. "We have work together with the Ministry of Education (MOE) to insert health components into the curriculum in 2009. We realise that the food pyramid is difficult for kids to grasp; so now we are teaching them about the healthy plate portion," said Shahiran.
He also shared that BHC has confirmed their involvement in next year's programme on diabetes following the success of this year's programme in raising awareness with companies such as DST recently approaching HPC in designing an Easi recharge card with a WDD image.
In attendance during Thursday's celebration was the Minister of Health, Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Adanan Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Hj Mohd Yusof.
Pehin Dato Hj Adanan shared that to further enhance measures in dealing with the widespread of diabetes disease in the country, MOH will be preparing a comprehensive National Diabetes Plan.
The minister said the National Diabetes Plan is set to take into account best practices and international guidelines from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the newly released International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Global Diabetes Plan 2011-2012.