Minister Of Health Hon Byron-Nisbett Lauds St. Kitts Diabetes Association
Basseterre, St. Kitts, November 20, 2021 (MMS-SKN) — Minister of Health, the Hon Akilah Byron-Nisbett is lauding the work of the St. Kitts Diabetes Association, and while pledging her Ministry’s support, she is rallying for persons to assist the association as it brings awareness of the disease to the general public.
Minister Byron-Nisbett made the remarks on Saturday, November 20 at the Cenotaph at the War Memorial in Fortlands where she addressed participants who had taken part in St. Kitts Diabetes Association’s 7th Annual Walk, which was held under the theme ‘Access to Diabetes care’.
“Everyone, have a blessed Saturday, and do not let this awareness end today,” pleaded the Hon Byron-Nisbett. “We have to make sure the awareness continues throughout the entire year, and I would like to encourage persons to do whatever you can to assist the Diabetes Association as well.”
According to the Minister, the St. Kitts Diabetes Association has been doing some really good work, trying to assist persons with diabetes, but added that they need everyone’s help to do that. She observed that while diabetes is a huge problem in St. Kitts and Nevis, it is something that can be controlled.
She promised: “The Ministry of Health will continue to support the association, and we are hopeful that each individual who would have turned up this morning will also support in whatever way they can to assist them with the work they continue to do to bring awareness, as well as to help persons with diabetes.”
Participants had gathered at the Cenotaph from 5:30 a.m. and after warm exercises conducted by PRO of St. Kitts Diabetes Association, Dr Reginald O’Loughlin, and General Manager of Eastern Benevolent Society, Dr. Lincoln Carty, they set off along the Bay Road, walking all the way to Bird Rock and on to the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank roundabout and back the same route to the Cenotaph.
Representing the St. Kitts Diabetes Association on the walk were President Nurse Christine Wattley, Vice President Nurse Davida Irish, Secretary Mrs Adora Warner, Treasurer Mrs Merle Liburd-Browne, and Ex-officio members of the committee, who included Mrs. Jasmine Hanley-Tacquechel, Mr. Ellamorrow Levy, and Mr. Anthony Evelyn.
The walk was sponsored by the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank who provided T-shirts that were sold to raise funds to assist the St. Kitts Diabetes Association as it carries out its work in the coming year.
National Bank was represented on the walk by a large contingent of its staff led by Chairman of the Bank’s Board of Directors Mr. Alexis Nisbett, CEO Mr. Donald Thompson, Executive Manager – Marketing Mr. Anthony Morton, Chief Financial Officer Mr. Anthony Galloway, and Chief IT Officer Mr. Quincy Prentice, among others.
In his address to the participants after the walk, the Bank’s CEO Mr. Donald Thompson told them that the Bank was pleased to have been supportive “of this very magnanimous effort by the St. Kitts Diabetes Association in support and the enhancement of health in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.”
He added: “National Bank is about the health and the wealth of the population of St. Kitts and Nevis, and nothing is more important in developing wealth than in maintaining and preserving health.”
In thanking the large contingent of National Bank supporters that came out, he made a request of them to continue to support the St. Kitts Diabetes Association, continue to pay attention to their health, and also to pay attention to all non-communicable diseases, particularly diabetes so that they could preserve their health, and develop their wealth in partnership with the National Bank.
“So, thank you all for coming out,” said Mr. Thompson. “I wish you all of the best, and we look forward to seeing you next year as we continue to make this walk bigger and better, and as we continue to bring the incidents of diabetes down in the Federation.”
Others who took part in the walk included the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Dr. Delores Stapleton-Harris, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Hazel Laws, Executive Director, TDC Group of Companies Mr. Nicolas Menon, and President of St. Kitts (Basseterre) Lions Club Ms. Heather Grant among others.