Roseau River First Nations Reserve Ginew Wellness Centre is using the Diabetes Integration Program to crack down on the growing disease.

The program provides a mobile unit that visits first nations communities across the province and uses specially trained nurses for the "Finger Stick" Blood testing of patients. The mobile unit has been setting up monthly at Ginew Wellness Centre for the last two years, providing screening services, making it easier for those with Type two diabetes to receive the attention they need without having to travel far.

Sharon Flett is a RHA Nurse working with the program and she said the project actually started about nine years ago.

"We see First Nations clients that are diagnosed with type two diabetes and the goal is to help prevent long term complications resulting from diabetes like blindness, cardiovascular diseases, kidney diseases and amputations. This program, is important because those with type two diabetes need to educate themselves on the disease and be screened to avoid those long term complications. Type two diabetes affects anyone, females, males and even children and we are seeing a consistent growth year after year in first nations people."

Flett added that she decided to join the Diabetes Integration Program to help her people, noting as a First Nations person she feels it is her duty.