16
UWI TODAY
– SUNDAY 22 JANUARY, 2017
UWI IN THE COMMUNITY
“ I f t h e r e i s a
problem it is better
to go to the source,”
s a i d S u r u j p a l
Te e l u c k s i n g h ,
P r o f e s s o r o f
Medicine at UWI St
Augustine’s Faculty
of Medical Sciences.
The problem
in this instance is
diabetes. In fact
the “problem,” he
and several other
speakers repeatedly made clear, is an understatement. In
Trinidad and Tobago diabetes has become an epidemic. In
the space of three decades it has become the second highest
cause of death in the nation.
And the “source” that Teelucksingh is referring to is
even more concerning. The source is the womb.
Professor Teelucksingh, speaking before an impressive
audience of government officials, technologists, medical
practitioners, humanitarians and UWI students and staff,
had not come to focus on the problem. This was an event
about solutions. The gathering was for the unveiling of an
innovative and promising answer to the dangers of diabetes
in pregnant women.
In October the Helen Bhagwansingh Diabetes
Education Research Prevention Institute (DERPI) launched
the
Do Campaign
at the Port of Spain headquarters of
Microsoft. The campaign is a sweeping initiative that brings
together a host of stakeholders to develop the mechanisms
for diabetes screening in pregnancy. A key aspect of the
Do Campaign
is Health in Pregnancy Trinidad and Tobago
or “HiPTT”, a mobile application that connects patients,
doctors, laboratories and health institutions.
The main purpose of HiPTT is detection and treatment
of diabetes in pregnancy as early as possible: “We know that
many women enter pregnancy with pre-existing diabetes.
What’s worse, more are going to develop diabetes during
pregnancy. And guess what? We are not going to recognise
this disease until it is too late,” says Professor Teelucksingh.
HiPTT changes howdetection takes place, moving from
the conventional “linear” model of steps towards a circular
model in which all parties are connected simultaneously –
patient, doctor, laboratory, and health institution. The app
was developed and tested by a team of lectures from The
UWI Department of Clinical Medical Sciences and the
Faculty of Engineering, members of DERPI and the CARIRI
Microsoft Innovation Centre.
For more information on HiPTT read:
.
edu/uwitoday/archive/october_2015/article4.asp
STRONG ADVOCATES FOR PREVENTION
From the groundwork laid in the development of
HiPTT, the
Do Campaign
is now taking these innovations
in early detection to the national audience. The attendees
at the launch ceremony included senior representatives of
the Trinidad and TobagoMinistry of Health, PAHO/WHO,
the Trinidad and TobagoMedical Association (TTMA), the
Gynaecological and Obstetrical Society of Trinidad and
Campaign to
DETECT DIABETES IN PREGNANCY
leaves the womb
B Y J O E L H E N R Y
Tobago (GOSTT), the Rotary Club of St Augustine, CARIRI,
the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago (NGC)
and Microsoft.
“The
Do Campaign
is a combined effort of many
organisations in this country,” said Frances Correia, Country
Manager of Microsoft T&T. “This is a real problem in
Trinidad that we have to solve ourselves. And there is a big
part that technology can play in solving the problem. It took
many people to collaborate on this and we are very proud.”
One of the most alarming aspects of the diabetes
epidemic in Trinidad and Tobago is how rapidly it has
grown, closely linked to the rise of obesity. A decade
ago researchers found that 11% of school children were
overweight, 2.5% of that total considered obese. Today
the total figure of overweight children has risen to 33%, a
300% increase.
Research shows that out of 67,000 children, 13 were
found to have Type 2 diabetes, “children with diabetes of
the kind adults should be getting,” Professor Teelucksingh
said. This compares to one in 67,000 Japanese children with
diabetes and three in 67,000 Canadian children.
“This is a major public health problem, not a clinical
problem,” said Dr Rohit Doon, Adviser, Health Promotion
Communications and Public Health with the Health
Ministry.
Representing theMinistry of Health at the
DoCampaign
launch, Dr Doon called the diabetes problem “staggering”
and “worrying,” and emphasised that the solution required
the entire society – not just the medical sector – to come
together to solve it.
Dr Doon applauded the broad-based nature of the
Do
Campaign
and said it alignedwith the Government’s strategy
for addressing non-communicable diseases, which includes
a loan from the IDB to fund a five- to six-year plan.
“This early intervention screening for diabetes is a
significant and innovative approach that is welcomed and
supported by the Ministry of Health,” he said, later adding,
“be assured that the Ministry will stand ready to partner
with you on the way forward.”
By raising awareness and funding, the
Do Campaign
can encourage more women and medical service providers
to embrace the HiPTT app, which will increase the chances
of early diabetes detection. This is an intervention that will
not only improve the quality of lives. It will save lives.
Dr Stacey Chamely, President of the TTMA, said, “we
wish to be strong advocates of prevention to decrease the
burden and grief associated with the loss of mothers and
their babies as a result of complications due to diabetes in
pregnancy. We know that if even one child is saved due to
screening, well, we have won, haven’t we?”
Surujpal Teelucksingh
The main purpose of HiPTT is detection and treatment
of diabetes in pregnancy as early as possible
