“The event, attended by mostly local residents, was very successful,” Vinycia Seman, the event’s education and outreach committee chair, said yesterday.
About 110 registered during the one-day event held at the municipal building.
It was the first health community forum on diabetes held on Rota, Seman said.
The Commonwealth Diabetes Coalition is planning to hold a similar event on Tinian.
The goal of the annual community forum is to involve the public in combating the prevalence of diabetes, non-communicable diseases, obesity, cancer and poor health lifestyle choices through targeted social and behavioral strategies, Seman said.
Among the resource speakers in the forum were Dr. David Hardt of Hardt Eye Clinic, Hinemlo Network health educator Rosa T. Palacios, Dr. Jang Ho Kim of and Jonathan Kiyoshi from Northern Marianas College-Cooperative Research, Extension and Education Service.
The forum included plenary discussions, two concurrent sessions, group work discussions, and question and answer sessions that elicited constructive community feedback, Seman said.
“We would also like to thank Mr. Ike Mendiola for interviewing us and airing what we shared during an interview on the local TV Channel 5,” she added. “During the interview we informed the public why we were there and what the health forum was all about.”
This year’s health community forum chairwoman, former Rep. Malua Peter, a member of the Commonwealth Diabetes Coalition, delivered the opening remarks.
Each of the participant was given a back pack with a t-shirt, pen, and a safety kit for either an adult or a child.
Waterpark passes from PIC, Coral Ocean Point golf passes, gift certificates from Herman’s Bakery and Serenity Salon, and $20 gas vouchers were also raffled to those who stayed until the end of the forum.
Seman said participants were given an evaluation form after every presentation and the overall forum.
Yesterday, the Commonwealth Diabetes Coalition assessed the evaluation of the participants at the Rota forum.
“We seek to drive community conversation toward evaluating current trends of health services and program, recommend responsive and culturally appropriate, effective strategies to meet their needs, and provide guidance regarding meaningful health policies for our leaders and health practitioners to institute and implement,” Seman said.
The Commonwealth Diabetes Coalition thanked its sponsors and partners: the Bank of Guam on Rota and Saipan, Northern Marianas College-Rota, Marianas Eye Institute, Hardt Eye Clinic, Medical Association of the Pacific, Comprehensive Cancer Control Program, Commonwealth Cancer Association, Community Guidance Center-Tobacco Control Program, Maternal/Child Health, CNMI Homeland Security, CNMI Head Start Program, Rota Head Start Program, ANI/First Hawaiian Bank Foundation, Diabetes Prevention and Control Program, NMC-CREES Saipan and Rota, Hinemlo-Familia Organization; NMC 4-H Program, Northern Marianas Protection and Advocacy System Inc., Joeten Kiyu Public Library and Ayuda Network Inc.
They also thanked the exhibitors, the governor’s office, Rota Mayor Melchor A. Mendiola and his staff, the Rota Health Center staff and nurses, Mayor of Saipan Donald Flores, CNMI Development Disabilities Council, Island Car Rental, Budget Rent a Car, Coca Cola, Herman’s Bakery, Pacific Islands Club, Calvo Enterprises, Rota Acoustic Catering, Serenity Salon and Coral Ocean Point.
