Participants of the morning health walk during the World Diabetes Day 2022 event in Suriname
Suriname, November 14, 2022 (PAHO) – In observation of World Diabetes Day 2022, PAHO/WHO, collaborated with the Ministry of Health in Suriname, in organizing an informative and physically active event in Lelydorp, Suriname.
This served as part of PAHO’s ongoing technical cooperation to the NCD Program of the Ministry of Health, in their efforts to raise awareness on the importance of a healthy lifestyle for those living with diabetes and other chronic diseases to address the risk factors and strengthen prevention through the promotion of a healthy lifestyle.
As the theme for the 2nd year of the World Diabetes Day 2021-23 campaign is “Education to protect tomorrow”, activities were therefore focused on highlighting the need for education for health professionals, people living with diabetes, and the general population. The event kicked off in the early morning with a warm-up and health walk to show the importance of physical activity and encourage people to incorporate any type of exercise into their daily routine.
PAHO/WHO Suriname Technical Officer Dr. Wendy Emanuelson-Telgt , mentioned that "the main message for this awareness event is that we hope that all visitors understand at the end of their visit that diabetes is a chronic condition, but you can manage living with diabetes by having a healthy lifestyle. We want to emphasize the importance of a healthy lifestyle in general. We chose Lelydorp and this region, due to the fact that the statistics show that there is a high number of cases of diabetes in this region in Suriname.Today was a collective effort made possible by several local stakeholders and key people that provided the tools and knowledge for full community engagement for a successful event."
Visitors also had the chance to receive information at booths on several topics such as the negative effects of tobacco and alcohol use, the importance of physical activity, and tips and tricks on healthy nutrition as well.
These informative booths were manned by the Bureau of Public Health and the Regional Health Services and the Ministry of Public Health, with the technical support of PAHO. Visitors could also receive a health screening to check their vitals and receive the information for eventual follow-up with their general practitioner. Lastly, the event concluded with a group Zumbathon where participants enjoyed moving and exercising while having fun.
