The Health Minister has praised the “outstanding work” of Silver Star, the charity that visited Gillingham to raise awareness of diabetes.
Rehman invited Silver Star to the constituency on Friday 22 February to offer free diabetes tests. Residents took up the opportunity to visit the Mobile Diabetes Unit in Gillingham and learn more about the condition, which is a serious health threat and affects 3.7 million people in the UK.
Many people do not realise they have diabetes and the number of people affected is expected to reach 4.4 million by 2020.
In Medway, 13,960 people (6.8% of the population) are thought to have diabetes and it is expected to increase to 8.6% by 2030.
In her answer to Rehman's Parliamentary question concerning the Silver Star visit, the Health Minister Anna Soubry MP said:
"It is an outstanding charity providing diagnosis at a real local level…I know that it goes to those often hard to reach communities…where we need to make sure that we do some good work reducing our levels of diabetes."
Commenting afterwards, Rehman said:
"I was very impressed with the local response to the Silver Star visit and many residents came along to learn more about the condition and to get themselves tested for diabetes.
"Diabetes is a serious health risk affecting 3.7 million people in the UK, yet many do not even know they have the condition. This is why it is important to get tested for diabetes and I join the Health Minister in praising the excellent work that Silver Star do."