Rotary Central hosted a free island-wide diabetes screening day at eight different locations throughout Grand Cayman including Fosters Republix, store Cost U Less, A. L. Thompson’s ( New Location added this year), Foster’s Strand, Kirk Supermarket, Hurley’s, Foster’s Airport & Countryside.

Rotary Central partnered with the Health Services Authority (HSA) to test Grand Cayman. This event was open to everyone, whether or not they had any reason to consider themselves under risk.

Altogether almost 700 individuals were screened, and 15 newly diagnosed diabetics, three of whom were referred to the emergency room because of their extremely high blood sugar levels.

30 uncontrolled diabetics were screened (two of which were urgently referred to the emergency room because of their extremely high blood sugar levels). Non diabetic conditions were also identified and applicable referrals were made for medical management.

30 individuals were also identified as having very significant risk factors for being diabetics. These individuals will be contacted and offered the conclusive HbA1c test which will report the individuals’ blood sugar range over the past three months. This will also be funded by Rotary Central.

Further screenings will be done in East End at a later date.  A screening event at North Side is also being considered because of the multiple requests/inquiries received. Since the beginning of the Rotary year, almost 800 individuals have been screened.

The prevalence of diabetes continues to increase at an alarming rate worldwide. It is expected that during the 21st century, this chronic lifestyle disease will affect one in every three people of the islands of the Caribbean

Rotary Central hopes that its diabetes initiatives will sensitise the public about the prevalence of the disease within the Cayman community and what part each person can play in minimising its occurrence since diabetes is not like a switch that gets turned on and off – healthy one day, diabetic the next.