MINISTRY OF HEALTH’S CDSM PROGRAMME CRITICAL TO IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE, SAY OFFICIALS

Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 28, 2022 (SKNIS): The Ministry of Health’s Chronic Disease Self-Management Programme (CDSMP) which was introduced in St. Kitts and Nevis in 2015 is extremely critical to improving the quality of life for people with chronic health problems such as hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease. 

This was according to Mrs. Novelia Rawlins Nwosu, Metabolic Disease Programme Coordinator and Verna Edwards France, Health Educator/Counselor, during their July 27 appearance on “Working for You.”

“The Ministry of Health has what you call the Chronic Disease Self-Management Programme (CDSMP) which is geared towards helping people to manage their condition. There is a 13-step guide that helps persons to manage their condition if they are diabetic, hypertensive or if they just need help in nutrition, shedding a few pounds or anything else. The programme is individualized and it helps persons to manage their condition,” said Mrs. Rawlins Nwosu.

Ms. Edwards France highlighted positive thinking as a critical component of the programme.

“In the Chronic Disease Self-Management Programme, one of the tools that we use to help persons reduce their risk of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDS) or prevent contracting an NCD is positive thinking,” said Counselor Edwards France. “Someone who has an issue with self-esteem, this is a tool that would help them to have a change of mind and see themselves differently. We have tools that will help you learn how to communicate with others… because everyone that you interact with is a part of your health circle.”

Ms. Edwards noted that the CDSMP is “one of the best tools” ever created, that “has been tested across the globe and translated into numerous languages.”

Mrs. Rawlins Nwosu said that the programme yields numerous benefits and encouraged persons to contact the Ministry of Health and get help with the programme so that “we can get you moving, we can get you started and help you to manage exactly what is going on with you be it stress or anything about self-management,” she added.

The CDSMP Programme, which was started by Stanford University in the United States, was introduced to the Caribbean region in 2015. Since its introduction to the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, 44 Living Healthy Leaders have been trained with 11 presently operating.

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