Regional diabetes centres

Cuba has around 300,000 people with diabetes. Diabetes is the 7th most common cause of death in the country.

Cuba's national diabetes programme includes 3 levels; the level of the family doctor, the level of hospitals and Educational and Medical Care Centres for Diabetics and the level of the National Institute of Endocrinology which is national reference centre for the centres.

At present, Educational and Medical Care Centres for Diabetics (CEADs) have been established in 6 provinces, but the remaining 9 provinces are uncovered. These include Granma, Las Tunas, Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Sancti Spriritus, Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Habana and the municipality of Isla de la Juventud. 

Objective

The project aims to improve diabetes care in Cuba by completing the national network of medical care centres for people with diabetes.

Approach

This project is a collaboration among 3 partners: the National Institute of Endocrinology in Cuba, Spain's Fundacion para la Diabetes and the World Diabetes Foundation.

The project seeks to complete the national network of the CEADs including modernisation of the national reference centre at the National Institute of Endocrinology. Four CEADs will be established during the first year, 4 during the second year and 2 during the third and last year.

A project medical team will consist of:

• 20 endocrinologists
• 20 other medical specialists
• 20 nurses
• 10 podiatrists
• 10 dieticians
• 20 educators
• 10 psychologists

This team is provided by the Cuban Ministry of Health and will be supported at the community level by 600 doctors trained in diabetes.

Expected impact

• Ten provincial diabetes centres will be established
• Over a 3 year period, around 102,000 people with diabetes are expected to use the new diabetes centres
• 600 diabetes doctors are expected to attend an additional 12,600 people with diabetes in their local communities per year
• The project aims to achieve a 10% reduction in diabetes related complications, including blindness, kidney failure and amputations

Results to date

• The national Educational and Medical Care Centre for Diabetics (CEAD) in Havana has been refurbished.

• 8 out of the 10 CEADs have been inaugurated and are running well (Santa Clara, Las Tunas, Cienfuegos, City of Havana, Bayamo, Bauta, Ciego de Avila and Sancti Spiritus). Only the diabetes care centres of Camagüey and Isla de la Juventud are still not operational.

• Doctors from a total of 498 polyclinics nationwide have been trained in diabetes. Furthermore, all the 498 polyclinics have established diabetes care services as per request by the Ministry of Health.