People of a Filipino background are one of the highest ethnic groups at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and western Sydney is home to the largest of Sydney’s Filipino migrant population with Blacktown, Rooty Hill, Mount Druitt, Quakers Hill, Plumpton and Woodcroft the most popular suburbs.
In collaboration with leaders in the western Sydney Filipino community, WSD is holding a webinar to help educate leaders, as well as GPs and health practitioners who work within that community, to learn more about the high incidences of diabetes and pre-diabetes in Western Sydney, as well as be part of the discussion about how to address this serious issue.
WSD Diabetes Prevention Officer, Aruni Ratnayake, said the webinar on October 13, 2020 is the start of a conversation with leaders – medical, allied health, church, community and others, including the Philippine-Australian Medical Association.
“We can’t fix the problem on our own and need to collaborate with leaders, firstly to understand the problem and then to discuss how we can all work together to make a difference,” Ms Ratnayake said.
The webinar will be chaired by Bernadette Sadsad, Clinical Nurse Consultant, HbA1c Testing Initiative at Westmead Hospital, who has a Filipino background and understands the challenge faced by the community.
Ms Sadsad will facilitate a discussion around short-term and long-term goals to work towards while also encouraging participants to work with WSD to address the issue.
Guest speaker Dr Cecilia Chi, WSD Endocrinologist, based at Westmead Hospital,said Type 2 diabetes is more common in the Filipino population, at an earlier age, and a lower body weight.
“As diabetes is a preventable condition, it is important that lifestyle changes are made earlier,” Dr Chi said.
“In women with gestational diabetes, this is an even better opportunity for these women to change their lifestyle and the lifestyle of their families and this may help prevent or delay the development of Type 2 diabetes.”
Dr Chi will be joined by Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz, Research, Monitoring and Surveillance Coordinator, at WSD; Dean Paningbatan, accredited practising dietitian and accredited sports dietitian; and Dr Roger Fabian, president of The Philippine-Australian Medical Association.
This will be followed by a panel discussion involving community and church leaders, GPs, and health practitioners.
Dr Fabian said the webinar provides an opportunity for community leaders to gain a better understanding of the disease, its prevention, treatment and prevention of complications.
“And for health practitioners, they will benefit hearing about better cooperation, coordination and collaboration in case finding, diagnosis, early intervention, treatment, rehabilitation and prevention of complications,” Dr Fabian said.
WSLHD invests more than $2 million annually for the Western Sydney Diabetes initiative.
For more information please contact Aruni Ratnayake, Diabetes Prevention Officer, Western Sydney Diabetes, Aruni.Ratnayake@health.nsw.gov.au or 0428 681 983.
Details: 7pm-8.30pm, Tuesday, October 13, 2020, via ZOOM.
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Register in advance for this webinar and for more information about joining the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_JVo34gLaT-eH1Ptxt81lqg
