Greeting and Overview

Dear Friends, Colleagues, All,

The combined attack of Diabetes mellitus and smoking on the cardiovasculature is well recognized. This year we zoom in on the interactions of these two chronic conditions and the outcomes in morbidity and mortality.

It is of note that in doing this, we have partnered with The Heart Foundation of Jamaica which has an important project in the worldwide thrust for tobacco control.

The Latin American experience and intervention programmes are discussed with a view to enhance the strategies being implemented in the Caribbean and as such we review the Port of Spain Declaration on Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases in the Caribbean.

We anticipate an eager turn-out of participants. Of note, we have responded to your repeated requests for more time to mix and mingle by restricting the programming as far as possible to ‘daylight hours’.

Our frequent ‘conferencistas’ will also note that the Most Hon. Hugh Lawson Shearer Memorial Lecture as well as the Caribbean Endocrine Society’s seminar have now been incorporated in the overall programming, which has returned in duration to Sunday midday.

This is indeed an exciting broad-based focus on a very relevant and current concern ‘the diabetic smoker’ and on behalf of the organizing committee, allow me to extend a very special Caribean ‘smoke-free’ welcome to you all and to give you a sneak preview of 2011 when we will assemble under the theme ‘Diabetes and Alcohol: A Bad Mix’.

Prof. The Hon. Errol Morrison, OJ
Chair, Conference Organising Committee
University Diabetes Outreach Programme (UDOP)