President Milanović Receives Representatives of Zagreb Diabetes Association
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović received today representatives of the Zagreb Diabetes Association, a non-profit organization aimed at gathering as many persons with diabetes as possible and offering activities to help them attain the treatment goals and be satisfied with their own success.
The president of the Zagreb Diabetes Association Marija Prašek and secretary Darija Cerin acquainted President Milanović with the work of the Association registered in 1988 by a number of visionary healthcare workers and dedicated people with diabetes. Originally, the members of the Association were people who lived in the Zagreb area, but with time the circle expanded, and today there are more than 2,800 members from all over Croatia.
They stated that the basic activity of the Association is achieved through different types of work by establishing and maintaining direct contacts with patients, their families and people who care for them, providing information on diabetes and raising awareness and empowering individuals through communion, and organizing various forms of education, recreation, training for self-care and self-help through regular cooperation with professional medical staff.
The Zagreb Diabetes Association strives to gather as many members as possible and strengthen its influence by providing assistance both to the healthcare system and the patients within that system. According to the Association members, there are 398,000 registered diabetics in Croatia, but in reality the numbers are higher because diabetes is often “concealed” and people are not even aware that they have diabetes. Therefore, their goal is to inform people about this disorder so they can start taking care of themselves on time and treat it.
Good nutrition and regular physical activity are exceptionally important for all diabetic patients, the Association members noted, therefore they frequently organize prevention campaigns, and every year a family camp for parents of children with diabetes. The technology for monitoring diabetes has made great strides, they stated, and expressed satisfaction that diabetic patients in Croatia have the support of the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO), namely insulin pumps and sensors are available to them.
Attending the meeting in the Office of the President of the Republic apart from the president and secretary of the Zagreb Diabetes Association were the representative of the Youth Club Mia Duvnjak and representatives of the Parents and Children with Diabetes Club Klaudija Aušperger, Mario Matijašević, Monika Muratović, children Benedikt Muratović and Margareta Muratović, and Association volunteer, the president of the Student Section for Endocrinology and Diabetology of the School of Medicine of the University of Zagreb Ana Pavić.
Alongside President Milanović was the Adviser to the President for Education Jadranka Žarković.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Tomislav Bušljeta