Statement from the Ontario PC Health Critic Jeff Yurek on World Health Day

The following statement is from Ontario PC Health Critic MPP Jeff Yurek (Elgin-Middlesex-London) on World Health Day:

“Today marks World Health Day 2016.  The theme this year is ‘Beat Diabetes,’ with the goal of limiting the spread and impact of diabetes by increasing awareness, scaling up prevention, strengthening care and enhancing surveillance. 

There are two main types of diabetes.  Individuals with type 1 diabetes are unable to produce their own insulin while individuals with type 2 diabetes, the most common form, do not produce enough insulin.  Untreated, diabetes can cause serious health effects such as heart attacks, nerve damage, strokes, kidney failure, blindness and infections that lead to amputations. 

Roughly 422 million people worldwide have diabetes, a number that has quadrupled since 1980. In Ontario alone, almost 1.5 million people have diabetes. Diabetes complications can be prevented by following a healthy diet, regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy body weight and avoiding the use of tobacco.    

On World Health Day, I encourage Ontarians to learn more about diabetes and the steps we can take to halt its rise and lead healthier lives.  I also want to thank all of the dedicated health care professionals that work day-in and day-out to help diagnose, treat and prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes.”