Chief Secretary Orville London on Thursday (December 16, 2010) presented a cheque for $25,000. to the Director of the Bovell Cancer and Diabetes Foundation, Dr. Adelia Bovell- Benjamin to assist the foundation in carrying out its diabetes campaign.
In making the presentation Mr. London said the Assembly was happy to be of assistance to the foundation and assured that it will continue to have its support. He said: “We in Tobago are faced with the major challenge to make people have the right lifestyle choices and we will continue to partner with the foundation on this.”
Dr. Bovell-Benjamin thanked the Chief Secretary and said how grateful the foundation was to receive the continued support of the Assembly.
She noted that there were 60,000 persons with diabetes in Trinidad and Tobago and according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) this was expected to increase to 125,000 by 2013. In addition, she said, there were 300 leg amputations a year. “We don’t want that at all and will strive to get these cases down.”
She said the THA was working very hard to correct the lifestyles of Tobagonians but they cannot do it alone, they need help from NGOs. “Diabetes cannot be stamped out unless everyone is on board,” she stressed.