The care and treatment of Diabetes by the Department of Medicine at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus has been significantly enhanced with the Department’s recent receipt of a first consignment of medical and educational supplies and equipment from the Department of Medicine and Division of Endocrinology of the Mayo Clinic and members of the Minnesota Chapter of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists.

The supplies include blood glucose monitoring systems, advanced diabetes management systems, insulin syringes, stethoscopes as well as books, videos and digital cameras. The supplies were handed over to the department by Professor Robert Northcutt, a Consultant Endocrinologist for the University Hospital of the West Indies who represented the donors. In making the donation, he expressed the donors’ hope that the clinical equipment and educational materials would serve to enhance the patient care, research and education missions of the Department. Professor Northcutt noted that the donation was the most recent example of a longstanding relationship that had developed between the Mayo Clinic and the Department of Medicine.

In her response, Clinical Endocrinologist and Lecturer in the Department, Dr. Rosemarie Wright Pascoe, noted that the donation would go a long way in the documentation of signs in patients and in the teaching of residents and students. She said that the over 40 glucose monitoring systems would be selectively provided to patients who would benefit most from their use, adding that the selections would be based on the patient’s needs and ability to comply with their proper usage. The physical examination tools will be distributed to the doctors in training at the UWI Mona who have a specific need for them.

Dr. Wright-Pascoe went on to say that the educational materials would also be incorporated into both the hospital and outpatient practices to enhance the clinical programmes in Diabetes, Nutrition and Endocrinology.

The handing over ceremony was also attended by Department Head, Professor Charles Denbow, Dr. Michael Boyne, Lecturer in Endocrinology at the Tropical Medicine Research Institute and Residents and staff of the Department of Medicine.