Diabetes is currently the primary cause of death in Mexico. In November 2019, this collective sponsored their 11th Diabetes Clinic on Isla Mujeres and served over 500 patients in two communities, both on the Island and on the mainland. This is a joint project of bilingual social workers, nurses, nutritionists, and other health care professionals from the USA working with the Isleno community partners: nurses, doctors, EMTs, and paramedics.

 

Some patients come in for screening, while many have already been diagnosed with diabetes and are on medications. Many walk-ins are untreated and undiagnosed. Very few patients have access to expensive meters or test strips and the main emphasis of the clinic is diabetes education, nutritional counseling, giving reading glasses and distribution of meters, strips and lancets. Islenos are taught to use the meters to self monitor their blood sugar levels.

 

Due to Covid 19 they are not able to have their usual large clinic but they have opened a year-round office post for patients to be able to receive continuous counseling and the supplies they need, by appointment. 

​

​