Diabetes impacts the Hispanic community at alarming rates, help is available

(KMID/KPEJ)- Diabetes tends to impact the Hispanic community heavily in Texas, but there are free resources in the Basi to help with prevention and detection.

“Everything you do, all the decisions you make over a period of time will have an impact on you,” said Dr. Ramachandra Chemitiganti, with Medical Center Hospital.

More than 135 thousand Texans are diagnosed with diabetes every year and more than two million adults in Texas have already been diagnosed. Dr. Chemitiganti is the Department Chair for the Center of Excellence for Diabetes and Endocrinology in Odessa, and he said that the best way to manage diabetes in by taking small steps each day toward better health.

“I wish all of us are perfect and can make good decisions all the time. What I see that works with my patients is make good decisions most of the times. If you are buying snacks in the house make sure they are those single pack small servings instead of the big bags because that small pack will serve you as a reminder that hey we are done with one pack of snack where a big bag you just don’t know how much you are eating. “

Hispanic are more than 94% likely to develop diabetes compared to non-Hispanic adults in Texas. But there’s good news, with early detection and treatment, vision loss and other serious complications can be prevented. In Odessa, those without insurance and those who are under-insured, can visit the MCH Diabetes Clinic for screenings and treatment.

“If you are walking on a tight rope, one misstep you will fall down and hurt yourself, with diabetes you have to make multiple missteps to actually have the consequences, and the consequences are bad.”

The free Community Diabetes Clinic is located at 1940 E. 42nd Street, it’s open from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. every Wednesday.

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