 Diabetes, or pisadu, as it is commonly called in St. Lucia, is a chronic disease which affects one in eight adults worldwide. Left untreated or poorly treated, diabetes affects the whole body, living death and disability in its path. Many, if not all of us, have witnessed the havoc wrecked by diabetes on the lives of our loved ones. Over the past decade, diabetes has consistently been among the four leading causes of death in St. Lucia. There are different types of diabetes. The most common type, being type 2 diabetes, which accounts for 90-95% of all diabetes cases. Type 2 diabetes, which is generally a lifestyle disease, can be prevented or delayed with healthy lifestyle changes, such as keeping physically active, eating healthy foods and losing weight if over weight. The theme of this year's World Diabetes Day is Diabetes Education to Protect Tomorrow. Education involves the given and receiving of knowledge or information. How can we become better educated when it comes to diabetes? An estimated 422 million people worldwide have diabetes. Unfortunately, half of these persons are not aware that they are diabetic. Education starts with knowing. Screening for diabetes is free in St. Lucia. Educate yourself, know your status when it comes to diabetes. Visit any one of our 34 wellness centers, island-wide, from 8 am to 4 pm on weekdays. Education also involves taking advantage of opportunities to learn about diabetes and how to protect our health. While all healthcare providers must continue to educate themselves and the nation's population about diabetes, all without diabetes must also try to find out how to prevent the condition for themselves and the families or how to manage diabetes. Education must be given and received. As a nation, we must ensure that we turn away from the myths which surround the cause and treatment of diabetes and embrace evidence-based facts. Too many times, diabetics refuse care because of a lack of knowledge of what is actually happening in their bodies. Most of the long-term management of diabetes is done by the diabetic and his or her family members. Knowing about diabetes and how to manage day-to-day can be the difference between life and death. Currently, many of our healthcare professionals and community members are trained in teaching diabetics to manage the diabetes at home. We offer a six-week program that equips diabetics and their family members with the knowledge they need to effectively manage diabetes. Call your nearest wellness center to register. The course is free and is also offered virtually and face-to-face. In St. Lucia, essential medicines for diabetics have been offered to patients without cost to them. Additionally, nutritional counseling, diabetic retinopathy screening, food care and health education are freely available at the wellness centers. The ministry is currently in the process of embarking on a pilot project which will also make lab tests free of charge to diabetics and hypertensive patients. Despite the many efforts to ensure access to care for diabetics, a lack of adequate education limits the population's use of these services. As we observe World Diabetes Day, I want to challenge all St. Lucia's to become part of the diabetes education reform. Healthcare professionals keep on learning about diabetes and share what you are learning with your colleagues and your patients. Keep it simple and relevant. Diabetics learn about your condition from the right sources. Be on top of your game by receiving and pursuing and acting on their education to ensure a better quality of life. All St. Lucia's community members look out for each other, educate your students, teachers, church members and share this information and use it for action towards a better tomorrow. Happy World Diabetes Day. I thank you.