Acoma forum at Wellness Center

By Diane Fowler
Beacon staff writer
Published Thursday, August 27, 2009 4:55 PM MDT

ACOMA PUEBLO - The Acoma Health and Wellness Department held a community health forum on Aug. 19 to discuss diabetes, the ACL Hospital and Dialysis Center and general health care issues among tribal members.

More than 50 people turned out for the event at the Acoma Tribal Auditorium.

Zuni Councilman and director of the Special Diabetes Program Carleton Albert addressed the crowd about funding for the program. “The Indian Health Service is supposed to provide $150 million per year to cope with the diabetes problem, but Congress cut off the funds in 2008,” he explained.

“I hope Acoma Pueblo will help Indian Health Service prove to Congress that we need the funding,” he added.

Albert also stressed prevention by saying. “If we take care of ourselves, we won't have to go to the hospital as frequently. We in the younger generation are probably a little lazy. We could go out and farm the land, but we don't.”

Tonita Sarracino, Director of Acoma Health and Wellness, advocated going to Washington, D.C., to inform legislators of the need for continued and increased funding for diabetes programs.

“Our Pueblo of Acoma Wellness Program has come a long way in helping our community to maintain their fight against diabetes and other chronic diseases they face every day in their lives,” she said. “The way health care costs are now in this day and age is getting expensive and some of our people can't afford it.”

The takeaway message of the meeting was the need to let Congressional representatives know of the needs of Native American diabetes patients and personal responsibility in lifestyle choices.

See more information about Acoma Wellness Center on next page.

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from Washington DC wrote on Aug 28, 2009 9:09 AM:

" Just a clarification--while the Acoma Special Diabetes Program may not have received funds in 2008 (and that may be as a result of their grant cycle ending or some other reason), Congress did provide the $150 million to IHS in both FY 2008 and FY 2009. Both the House and the Senate also include the funds in their FY 2010 bills, which have yet to pass. The Special Diabetes Program has not been cut off. "

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