Nor-Lea gets $600K for diabetes health
Levi Hill/News-Sun
LOVINGTON — It’s a silent killer that often goes unnoticed, but in Lea County, diabetes is a growing epidemic.
Thanks to state funding, Nor-Lea Hospital will soon be helping fight this silent killer and helping Lea Countians stay healthier.
Nor-Lea recently received $608,000 in state funds through the Rural Health Care Delivery Fund that will be used to expand diabetes care in the county, said David Shaw, CEO of Nor-Lea Hospital.
“When you look at the prevalence of the disease in our county, it is not number one but it is up there,” Shaw said. “The purpose of the funds will be to help us to grow and expand diabetes programs here in Lea County and hire a certified diabetic health educator.”
Statewide, annual diabetes deaths per 100,000 sits at around 27 for the years 2018-2020. Nationally that rate was 23 per 100,000 and for Lea County it was 35 persons per 100,000 population.
It was estimated in 2020 that 12 percent of Lea County adults had diabetes, higher than the state average rate of 11 percent. That number is up from 9 percent in 2011.
Shaw said the funds will help provide diabetic health classes that could include cooking classes and classes on diabetic health management.
Shaw said the hospital has a year and a half to set up the program, starting Jan. 1. The grant to Nor-Lea is part of $20 million released to 32 health organizations across the state.
“We created this fund because rural health care providers were struggling to keep their doors open, let alone expand,” said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham in a news release. “These awards will help meet a pressing need for care in rural communities that have gone too long without adequate services.”
The Rural Health Care Delivery Fund was established by the New Mexico Legislature in 2023 to help rural providers offset operating losses and start-up costs for new or expanded services.
Other regional health care providers to receive funds include: Artesia General Hospital, Aspire Healthcare LLC, Ben Archer Health Center and The Psychiatric Care Center LLC.
