Responding to Pediatric Diabetes in Haiti

The Pediatric Diabetes Program at Hôpital Sacré Coeur is the only program in northern Haiti providing comprehensive, free care to children and young adults with Type I diabetes. The children receive diabetic care under HSC pediatrician, Dr. Marc-Mesadieu Exavier. Every month, Dr. Exavier hosts a monthly clinic at the hospital where he evaluates the patients, reviews blood sugars, and distributes the necessary supplies, including insulin, syringes, and glucometers. CRUDEM Foundation/Diabetes Fund supports pediatric diabetic program at HSC. The Foundation collects donations to provide insulin and other medicines, hospital patients' fees, transportation to the hospital, consultant's fees and other accompanying personal expenses. The diabetes program in HSC started in October of 2013 after Dr. Exavier, one of the pediatricians at HSC, began diagnosing a rising number of children with Type 1 Diabetes. Dr. Exavier is an experienced pediatrician, but never received specialized training as an endocrinologist to manage diabetic patients. He designed his diabetes clinic as a group appointment model with advice and support from pediatricians and endocrinologists in the States.

Type I Diabetes is also known as Juvenile Diabetes; it has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. The hard fact is that there's nothing one can do to prevent Type I Diabetes, and currently, there is no cure for it. The effect of Type I diabetes is known, but its cause is unknown; the body does not produce insulin -- a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches, and other foods into energy. The disease can be managed with proper treatment and insulin.

As per World Health Organization data (WHO), there were about 161,000 diabetes patients in Haiti in 2000 and this number will exceed 401,000 by 2030. WHO data indicate that 90% of diabetics are Type II. A 2006 study by FHADIMAC (Fondation Haïtienne de Diabète et de Maladies Cardio-vasculaires) identified a prevalence of diabetes by 4.8% in men and 8.9% in women amongst a sample of Haitians live in Port-au-Prince1.

Reply to this article

Read more: Health, Health

« UN intensify efforts to eliminate cholera from Haiti | Main | The truth about the introduction of AIDS from the U.S. to Haiti »

Return to Articles List

Our objective is to share with you news and information about Haiti and the people of Haiti. Traditions, habits and the way we were  or  grew are alive in this site. We highly recommend that you Subscribe to our Newsletter and also share with us some of the things that are memorable and made us unique people.