President Milanović Receives Croatian Diabetes Association Representatives
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović spoke today with representatives of the Croatian Diabetes Association, which is responsible at the state level for protecting the rights of people with diabetes. Attending the meeting at the Office of the President were the President of the Croatian Diabetes Association, Dr. Zrinka Mach, the Vice President and member of the Executive Board, Slavko Lacković, Executive Board members Doris Bailo and Marica Varjačić, and administrative secretary Sandra Kerim.
They informed President Milanović about the activities and programmes they are implementing to improve social care for people with diabetes. The necessity of their programmes is supported by estimates that every tenth person over the age of 65 in Croatia has diabetes, as well as by the fact that diabetes is among the three most common causes of death in Croatia. Representatives of the Association emphasized at the meeting that the number of patients will also increase among the younger population if the trend of improper diet and insufficient physical activity continues.
During the conversation with President Milanović, representatives of the Association also pointed out the issue with the space currently being used by the Croatian Diabetes Association. Due to the renovation of the Vuk Vrhovac University Clinic, the Croatian Diabetes Association was given what they consider to be inadequate replacement space. Therefore, they hope to receive space in the renovated clinic that will be suitable for the Association’s activities and accessible to people with diabetes from all over Croatia.
Thanking President Milanović for his patronage of the 15th Congress of Persons with Diabetes, which took place in Brela in March of this year, the representatives of the Association also briefed him on the topics covered at this year’s congress. The event featured relevant experts from various fields of diabetes who presented the latest insights and advancements in the prevention and treatment of diabetes.
The Croatian Diabetes Association comprises local unions and societies established and operating throughout Croatia. Currently, there are 46 such unions within the Association, with a total of four thousand active members. These unions and societies actively promote a healthy lifestyle, strive to improve the quality of life for people with diabetes, and emphasize the importance of prevention, early detection, timely treatment, and the prevention of chronic diabetes complications, according to the Association’s representatives.
President Milanović was accompanied by Jadranka Žarković, Adviser to the President of the Republic for Education.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Filip Glas