Fundraising project for Juvenile Diabetes Foundation WA launched

4/5/97

About 70,000 Western Australians are known to be diabetes sufferers and health experts believe a similar number of people also have the condition but remain undiagnosed, Health Minister Kevin Prince said today.

"Some of the tell-tale signs and symptoms of diabetes include increased thirst, frequent urination, feeling tired and lethargic, constant hunger, blurred vision and unexplained weight loss," Mr Prince said.

"Diabetes is the leading cause of new blindness; it can lead to higher than usual levels of heart and kidney disease and is associated with a mortality rate two or three times higher than the rest of the population.

"Diabetics need up to four injections of insulin every day for the rest of their lives - just to stay alive.

"People in the community who have experienced any of those tell-tale signs and have not consulted a medical practitioner should consider doing so."

Mr Prince, who today officially launched 'Walk For The Cure' - a major fundraising project for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation Australia, said many Western Australians of all ages continued to be struck down by the condition each year.

"The number of people suffering diabetes continues to increase at a rate of about six per cent annually," Mr Prince said.

"This serious and chronic metabolic disease, which essentially prevents the body's ability to convert food into energy, costs the Australian community - including hospitals, nursing homes and physician care, because of disability and premature death - more than $1 billion each year."

Mr Prince said the foundation - which raised $1.3 million nationally through the walk last year - was leading the way in raising community awareness about the seriousness of juvenile insulin dependent diabetes.

"It is also dedicated to finding a cure for this condition which causes so much disruption to the lives of so many people," he said.

Mr Prince said the State Government was committed to providing essential services to diabetics as well as community health education programs about diabetes.

The State's commitment included:

·      establishing specific diabetic education programs in the Goldfields, South-West and Kimberley regions and Geraldton;

·      supporting 11 community health centres in the metropolitan area and 42 regional centres;

·      providing more than $200,000 in funding to Diabetes Australia WA in 1997-98;

·      Princess Margaret Hospital specialising in services to diabetic children from throughout the State and all teaching hospitals providing inpatient and outpatient services;

·      providing funding to five general practitioners to develop a range of diabetes awareness, dietary management, detection and protection programs; and -

·      participation in a diabetes passport program pilot study in conjunction with the University of WA which aimed to increase the prevention and self-management of non-insulin dependent diabetes in the northern metropolitan area.

Media contact: Kirsten Stoney 221 1377