The project aims to improve access to care and quality of care for people with diabetes in Uganda
Expected impact
80 health care workers trained in diabetes prevention, diagnosis and care and provided with basic clinical tools for diabetes care
20 diabetes clinics operational
Referral system established and guidelines for referral of diabetes patients developed
Approximately 96,000 diabetes patients educated annually
Results to date
80 health care workers have been trained in diagnosis, treatment, monitoring and prevention of diabetes.
The trained health care workers have been provided with basic clinical tools for diabetic care (weight scale, height meter, blood pressure machine, Snellen’s eye cart, register, monofilaments, blood glues meter, blood sugar strips, urine strips, stethoscope).
20 diabetes clinics have opened and are operational. All clinics have been provided with direct support supervision from the project responsible to assess operations, needs and challenges.
IDF Africa guidelines for management of type 2 diabetes were distributed to all the hospitals.
From the opening of the 20 diabetic clinics in March 2008 to February 2009, a total of 7,632 patients with diabetes had been registered in the hospitals. Group education is done in the general out patient area of the hospitals so that the education messages given are also picked up by other patients in the area.
A referral system has been established in which the nursing officers assess the patients and decide which patients they can handle and which patients to refer to a clinical officer. The clinical officer does the same and only refers the most complicated cases to the medical officer or physician. All diabetes patients seen in different departments of the hospitals are referred to the trained diabetes team.
In hospitals with no medical officer, physician or facilities to handle particular patients, referrals to the nearest higher level of health care (district, regional or national referral hospital) are made.
A weekly radio diabetes education programme was broadcasted during four weeks at the local Kampala radio station. In addition, several education talks were done by senior staff in diabetes management at the Uganda Television channel. Local media have publicized the project in newspapers, radio and television.
Additional information on the project can be found here.
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