The people of the Caribbean region are facing a serious threat to health which will potentially overwhelm healthcare systems in the small and relatively poor countries of the region. It is estimated that by the year 2010, the number of people with diabetes in the Caribbean will reach 20 million. Diabetes prevalence in the area is projected to increase to approximately 25% of the adult population. In this article, Debbie Jones reports on a training initiative which is aimed at reducing this health burden through the development and promotion of diabetes education programmes in the Caribbean region.