Africa-Press – Mauritius. A three-day International Conference on Diabetes, Obesity and Associated Diseases kicked off, yesterday, at the InterContinental Resort Mauritius, in Balaclava.
This Conference is being organised by the Ministry of Health and Wellness in collaboration with the Diabetes Foundation Mauritius and the World Community for Prevention of Diabetes Foundation, Spain.
The President of the Republic of Mauritius, Mr Prithvirajsing Roopun; the Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Kailesh Kumar Singh Jagutpal; and other personalities were also present at the opening ceremony.
In his address, President Roopun highlighted that the Conference serves as a platform for sharing insights, advancing knowledge, and collectively working towards enhancing the understanding and treatment of diabetes.
He pointed out that diabetes ranks among the main causes of premature death, and affects all continents around the world. President Roopun remarked that diabetes is the second cause of death in Mauritius, and acknowledged that, throughout the years, much progress has been made regarding treatment of diabetes.
He also reassured that Government is committed to tackle Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) issues. He further commended the Ministry of Health and Wellness for connecting with the Mauritian diaspora in order to help in the fight against NCDs.
For his part, Minister Jagutpal underlined that the Conference brings under one roof renowned experts in the fight against NCDs, particularly in the fields of diabetology, obesity and associated diseases.
He observed that, in recent years, obesity and diabetes have emerged as daunting challenges, not only in our nation but globally. Dr Jagutpal indicated that the fight against NCDs remains high on the agenda of the Government of Mauritius.
As such, he recalled, the Prime Minister’s Office has developed since 2018 a National Sport and Physical Activity policy to foster a culture of community sport and physical activity in the country.
Moreover, the Health Minister underscored that National Service Framework for NCDs 2023-2028 and the National Integrated NCD Action Plan have already been launched. He also dwelt on a number of projects currently in the pipeline as far as the fight against NCDs and Diabetes is concerned.
These include: a National Strategy for Adolescent Health (2023–2028); a National Plan of Action for Nutrition being devised based on the findings of Mauritius Nutrition Survey 2022; the introduction of nutrition labelling on food packages by the Mauritius Food Standards Agency; and a salt intake survey.
It is recalled that the Conference aims to unite prominent experts in diabetes, fostering discussions on current issues surrounding the disease. Participants will have the opportunity to explore the latest evidence-based best practices for addressing diabetes and collaborate to formulate practical measures for its management.
For More News And Analysis About Mauritius Follow Africa-Press
