| ONTARIO INVESTS $50,000 FOR DIABETES TREATMENT AND PREVENTION IN WATERLOO REGION
Waterloo – Local MPPs today announced that the provincial government is providing $50,000 in funding to help enhance diabetes care and prevention in Waterloo Region. It is part of a $3.76 million province-wide investment in diabetes care and prevention.
“The funding provided today will help promote wellness, increase health promotion, enable early intervention and effective prevention of complications related to diabetes,” said Kitchener-Waterloo MPP and Minister of Environment Elizabeth Witmer. “We want to improve prevention and reduce the complications associated with diabetes,” added Waterloo-Wellington MPP Ted Arnott.
“This funding will result in enhanced care and education for the residents of Waterloo Region,” said Cambridge MPP Gerry Martiniuk. It will also be used to provide increased education and supportive services for aboriginal communities. When compared to other segments in Ontario, the aboriginal population has a higher incidence of diabetes.
In Ontario, diabetes is responsible for 40 per cent of new cases of dialysis and half of all non-traumatic amputations, blindness and heart attacks. It also accounts for 70 per cent of strokes. “This funding will go a long way toward enhancing our understanding of the disease,” said Kitchener Centre MPP Wayne Wettlaufer.
Since 1995, the Ontario government has invested more than $47.7 million in Ontario's diabetes strategy.
“Today's funding announcement builds on the previous investments our government has made,” said Health and Long-Term Care Minister Tony Clement. “We want to ensure that all Ontarians have access to top-quality diabetes prevention and treatment, as close to home as possible.”
|
